Ashcraft Pleads Guilty to Internet Stalking

Former high school photographer Christian Trey Ashcraft, 41, of White Hall, Arkansas, has pleaded guilty to internet stalking in a harrowing case that spanned years and involved an underage victim. United States Attorney Christopher R. Thyer and Homeland Security Investigations Agent Raymond R. Parmer Jr. announced Ashcraft’s plea before Judge Kristine G. Baker.

Ashcraft, owner of Ashven photography, faced charges stemming from an investigation launched in August 2014 after a minor reported being solicited for illegal sexual activity. The probe led investigators to Ashcraft, who was using the email alias fun_e_gurl_2000@yahoo.com to communicate with multiple individuals, including a young girl he falsely portrayed as a 15-year-old minor.

Agents discovered that Ashcraft had sent sexually explicit photographs of an adult woman, identified as J.D., under the guise of her own identity. J.D., now in her mid-twenties, revealed that she met ‘Chad Reynolds’ online when she was just 15 and engaged in a relationship with him without ever meeting face-to-face. Ashcraft, posing as Chad, convinced J.D. to participate in a photo shoot under false pretenses, during which he took numerous inappropriate photographs.

After the incident, Ashcraft continued his deceitful campaign by sending explicit photos of J.D. to her acquaintances using the fun_e_gurl_2000@yahoo.com account. A federal search warrant led to the discovery of approximately 800 images of J.D., many sexually explicit, on Ashcraft’s computer.

On April 15, 2016, Judge Baker sentenced Seth Ganahl to 240 months’ imprisonment for producing child pornography. Ashcraft’s sentencing is pending. United States Attorney Thyer emphasized that ‘you cannot commit crimes and hide behind apparent anonymity on the internet.’ He added, ‘These type of stalking crimes are serious, and can ruin people’s lives. We will continue to seek out and punish those who prey on the innocent and vulnerable.’