DAYTON — A Kettering man who used a four-month-old girl on a sexually explicit Internet broadcast was sentenced Monday to 10 years in federal prison and ordered to undergo sex offender counseling.

"This is nonetheless exploitation of a child for personal gratification," said U.S. District Court Judge Walter H. Rice, noting that Donald Witt was "a producer, rather than simply a viewer" of child pornography.

Witt, 52, pleaded guilty in July to transportation of materials involving the sexual exploitation of a minor.

At the time, Witt's wife was running a day care business in the couple's home at 3136 Santa Rosa Drive. The child was one of two in the Witts' care when the offense occurred in March 2004. Authorities have no evidence that the other child was victimized, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Clemmens.

Witt tearfully apologized to the parents of the victim, who have since moved from Witt's neighborhood, and to his own family during his sentencing Monday.

"I am so sorry for the pain and suffering I have caused in your lives," Witt said. "I know I destroyed a neighborhood. I took so much away from everything."

According to a statement of facts, Witt would visit Internet chat rooms using the screen name "curiousdaytonman."

"Witt would chat with others about sexually explicit activities involving children and view images of child pornography. He tried to convince others to show children to him over their Web cams," according to the statement.

Clemmens said Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents began investigating Witt after a Texas man was arrested on charges of possession of child pornography. The man told authorities about seeing a child in a chatroom held by "curiousdaytonman." The Texas man later selected Witt from a photo lineup, Clemmens said.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2057 or lgrieco@DaytonDailyNews.com.