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PITTSBURGH (AP) — An award-winning contemporary literature professor has been sentenced to 6 years and 4 months in prison for his massive child pornography collection.

A federal judge in Erie, Pennsylvania, sentenced Kirk Nesset on Monday.

The sentencing included 10 years of supervised release after the 58-year-old serves his time.

The judge also granted $78,900 in total restitution for four child porn victims who had filed prior complaints.

Nesset resigned from Allegheny College, in Meadville, after he was arrested in October 2014 and pleaded guilty last year to possessing, receiving and sharing child pornography.

His attorney argued that Nesset has mental health issues that were complicated by his fear of revealing his porn proclivities from therapists, and deserves mercy.

Federal prosecutors said his collection of 540,000 child porn images warranted harsh punishment.