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.

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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.