KANSAS CITY, MO-- A federal judge today sentenced a 63-year-old man to 245 years in prison for drugging, videotaping and molesting 13 child victims, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Some of the children were sexually abused and videotaped over a four-year period, state federal authorities.

James Phillip "Phil" Edwards, of Kansas City, created multiple videos of his serial molestation of 13 victims, which ages ranged from 6 to 13 years.

Evidence indicates that one girl may have been victimized as young as 4 years old, federal officials state.

The sexual abuse occurred at Edward's residence with all but one of the videos recorded in his basement between July 21, 2001 and June 23, 2005.

Edwards told law enforcement that he began his criminal activity in 1997.

"We're satisfied that an extremely dangerous sexual predator is guaranteed to spend the rest of his life in prison," said David Ketchmark, acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri stated in a press release. "A virtual life sentence is the only just resolution for a self-confessed pedophile who drugged innocent children in order to sexually abuse them and then recorded videos of his molestation. This serial abuser will never victimize another child for the rest of his life."

Edwards said he drugged the victims with sleeping pills, including Ambien and its generic, which were hidden in ice cream and soft drinks that he served to the children, according to federal authorities.

He admitted to using his young son to unwittingly lure victims and their friends to his home for sleepovers.

Edwards had documents that included "How to Molest Young Girls," which provides specific information about drug dosage amounts, and "Pedo  Handbook," which also includes a section on "Drugging Children and Preteens."

 In forensic interviews, a few of the victims recalled having ice cream-eating contests at Edwards's house. However, none of the victims knew they were being drugged, according to federal authorities.