An attorney who worked on the staff of Gov. Kay Ivey pleaded guilty to a child pornography charge and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, federal prosecutors said Tuesday.

Chase Tristian Espy, 36, pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography, authorities said in a statement, and a judge scheduled a sentencing hearing for Jan. 24.

Espy, of Vestavia Hills, previously worked as deputy general counsel in the office of Ivey. He was only employed there a few months and was fired at the time of his arrest last August, officials said at the time.

Investigators seized Espy’s cellphone after he engaged in online chats with an investigator he believed to be a 15-year-old girl, authorities said in a statement. A search found multiple videos and several images portraying child sexual abuse, authorities said.