New Haven — Landlord Richard A. Bruno Jr. pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court to producing a pornographic video of a 17-year-old tenant from New London, a crime that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison.

Bruno, 47, of Waterford, faces up to 30 years in prison when Judge Jeffrey Alker Meyer sentences him on July 31, along with a fine of up to $250,000, registration as a sexual offender and at least five years of probation. He agreed to forfeit two of his properties if he is awarded them in his pending divorce, along with a van he used for his plumbing business. The properties include a two-story warehouse at 19 Mountain Ave. where he produced the videos and a two-family home at 27 W. Coit St.

Bruno, who has been incarcerated for a year, stood before the judge with his attorney, Christopher Duby, and nervously answered a series of questions the judge posed to ensure he understood the consequences of his plea. At the judge's request, he provided biographical information about his childhood in West Haven, becoming a plumbing contractor and running a property management business with his wife, Kem Bruno, in which the couple purchased rundown homes in New London, renovated them and rented them.

Bruno told the judge he had been in counseling for a sexual addiction for about two years before his arrest and that he understood the heavy consquences of his guilty plea, but had no choice but to accept it because he couldn't go to trial.

He said he had been assaulted in prison and had been able to see a counselor and "unload some of the things that were bottled up." His mind, he said in response to another of Meyer's questions, "is the clearest it's been in years."

"I stand before you full of sorrow, regret and shame for the way it's affected my life, my wife, my children and my parents," he said. "it's ruined me."

A hard drive seized by authorities during a search of a secret, locked room off Bruno's bedroom at his home in Waterford contained 46 homemade pornographic videos. Most of them involved Bruno engaged in bondage and masochistic sexual acts with women over 18, and so far the 17-year-old victim, who he plied with marijuana and cash, is the only minor who has been identified, according to the government.

Bruno admitted he knew the girl's age — "17 1/2," he said. He told the judge he was aware that the age of consent for sex acts in Connecticut is 16, and wouldn't have produced the video if he knew the federal age of consent is 18.

"I'm not attracted to children," he  said. "I'm attracted to women."

Bruno said he would be missing "everything" while he was in prison — that his children might be married with their own kids by the time he is released and his parents, who are in their 70s, might be dead.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy V.  Gifford.

"This defendant plied a vulnerable girl who lived in his building with marijuana and cash in exchange for sex," said Deirdre M. Daly, U.S. Attorney for Connecticut, in a prepared statement. "He also filmed this reprehensible conduct, and will now be sentenced to a significant prison term. I thank the FBI, Connecticut State Police and New  London Police Department for investigating this matter and protecting other girls from this predator."

Also in court Monday was attorney Jonathan J. Einhorn, who represents the victim, "Jane Doe" in a civil proceeding. He told the judge his client is satisfied with the plea deal. According to Einhorn, she is the first person in Connecticut to bring a lawsuit under "Masha's Law," a section of the Adam Walsh Act of 2006 that allows victims of child pornography and other sexual crimes to sue for damages. U.S. Magistrate Judge Joan Glazer Margolis on April 20 granted the prejudgment remedy after listening to testimony from the young woman at a hearing on April 3.

 The teen testified she began communicating with Bruno, her family's landlord, via social media in 2015 and he offered her money and marijuana in exchange for having sex with him and taking photos. She said she met him four times at the Mountain Avenue buidling in New London, where he took her into a "secret room" behind his office with a bed, women's clothing, sexual devices, a mirror and a video camera.

The investigation revealed that Bruno communicated with the victim using the KIK instant messaging application.  Analysis of Bruno's cellphone revealed messages from Bruno to the victim, including "If you wanted to play around I get you some mon[ey]." "Or if you let me film you for a little whi[le]."

The owner of 18 rental properties with an estimated value of more than $2.4 million, Bruno is embroiled in a divorce with his wife of 19 years, Kem Bruno, who said in court documents that she was unaware of her husband's illegal activities.

Mrs. Bruno, manager of her family's livery business, Curtin Transportation Group, is seeking ownership of all of the couple's jointly owned properties and other other assets. Her lawyers have placed legal notices, called "lis pendens" on all of the properties, asserting a legal claim to their ownership.

The divorce case is headed to trial in mid-July.

Bruno came to the attention of New London police when they received information that he was attempting to extort sexual acts in lieu of cash from tenants. The officers suspected he was soliciting sex from children and in May 2016 said they worked with the state police Computer Crimes Unit to determine he recently had solicited what he believed to be a 13-year-old online.

Police arrested Bruno when he showed up to meet the girl, whom they said he was planning to pay for sex, and they executed a search-and-seizure warrant at his 33 Shore Road home in Waterford.

In December 2016, a federal grand jury indicted him on federal charges, including producing child pornography. He also faces charges in state court and has been making regular appearances in New London Superior Court. He is being held at the Bridgeport Correctional Center.

k.florin@theday.com