TAMPA, Fla. — There were apologies to the victims and pleas for leniency, but that did little to sway the judge who oversaw William Napolitano's sentencing Thursday.

The former Pasco County School District transportation manager, Napolitano was sentenced to life in prison in federal court for sexually assaulting children and producing and distributing child pornography.

In August, Napolitano, 35, of New Port Richey, pleaded guilty to enticing and coercing a minor to engage in sexual activity and to possessing child porn.

After statements were delivered and counsel was heard, the judge delivered Napolitano's sentence. 

Court documents described Napolitano as having a deeply embedded preference for sex with children that "descended to depths of depravity that are hard to fathom and that he's a constant threat to society."

William Napolitano, 35, the ex-Pasco schools transportation manager, was sentenced to life in prison for sexually assaulting children and producing child pornography. (Pasco County Jail)

Napolitano began his career with Pasco schools as a school bus driver and worked his way up to the district's transportation manager.

According to the plea agreement, beginning in 2014, Napolitano, while employed by Pasco County Schools as a transportation manager, knowingly enticed a 15-year-old student from a local school to engage in sex acts. 

Officials said Napolitano had met the teen on the app Grindr.

Napolitano engaged in a sexual relationship with the student that went on for several years. Officials said during that time, Napolitano invited the student to view his collection of child pornography, invited him to watch live productions of child porn on the internet, and invited him to engage in group sex with other adults and minors.

Napolitano also produced and distributed child porn of the student, according to the plea agreement. 

Investigators said Napolitano also had a close relationship with a Pasco County assistant principal, Kyle Ritsema. Officials said the two men would share child porn.

Ritsema is facing 30 years in prison. 

John Traveno, Napolitano's attorney, expressed disappointment with the sentence. 

"This man (Napolitano) had engaged in substantial cooperation with the federal government," Traveno said. "He pleaded guilty early in the case, so what is his reward — the maximum? It’s just not fair."

Napolitano worked for the school system for more than 10 years. At the time of his arrest, school districtd officials said Napolitano had never shown any signs of deviant behavior. 

The government will review Napolitano's case in a few years under what's called a Rule 35. That could determine whether he may be eligible for a parole at some point in the future.