Prisoner Admits To Killing Fellow Inmate Who Led Child Pornography Ring

One of three inmates accused of killing a child porn ringleader while in federal prison in Michigan has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, officials said.

On Thursday, Adam Taylor Wright, 41, formerly of Springfield, Illinois, admitted to his involvement in the 2019 death of Christian Maire while serving time at Milan Correctional Institution in Milan, Michigan, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Wright, a convicted bank robber, killed Maire on Jan. 2, 2019, allegedly with the help of fellow inmates Alex Albert Castro, 41, and Jason Dale Kechego, 40, according to court records.

Wright admitted to repeatedly kicking and stomping Maire in the head. He also prevented Maire from fleeing while Castro repeatedly stabbed Maire, court records said.

Kechego also allegedly kicked and stomped Maire in the head and helped Wright and Castro throw Maire’s body down a flight of metal stairs, according to court records.

"He has expressed great remorse for what he did," Wright's attorney, Jim Thomas, said in a statement to the Detroit Free Press Friday.

Wright faces up to 27 years and three months in prison. He is set to be sentenced in June.

Castro and Kechego were also charged, but their cases are still pending.

"When a murder happens within a prison, it undermines the safety and security of our penal institutions as well as the inmates and Bureau of Prisons employees who work there," said U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison. "Our office will bring to justice those who engage in such senseless and brutal acts of violence."

Maire had been serving a 40-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to his involvement in a child exploitation enterprise, The Kansas City Star reported.

Maire ran a child porn ring that targeted vulnerable teenage girls on the internet, manipulated them into performing sex acts online and even convinced some to cut themselves while the predators watched. The victims ranged in age from 10 to 17.

Maire admitted to being involved but denied being the leader.

Court documents alleged that Maire was not Wright, Castro and Kechego's only victim.

"Defendants brutally murdered another inmate and severely assaulted other inmates and prison staff while in a federal prison," prosecutors wrote in a Tuesday court filing. "Their brazen and violent acts were on display for their fellow inmates to see, causing them to fear possible repercussions of cooperating in any manner with this investigation and prosecution."