Oregon Man Charged with Using Minor for Child Porn

EUGENE, Ore.—A North Bend, Oregon man suspected of abusing multiple children has been indicted in federal court for his alleged role in producing child pornography and coercing a minor.

Christopher Jay Young, 39, has been charged in a two-count indictment with attempting to use a minor to produce a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct and attempting to coerce and entice a minor. These charges carry significant prison time, with attempting to use a minor to produce a visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct punishable by up to 30 years in federal prison with a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence. Attempted coercion and enticement of a minor is punishable by up to life in prison with a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence.

According to the indictment, on or about January 20, 2024, Young is alleged to have knowingly and intentionally persuaded a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and record the conduct. Young’s crimes involving one minor victim, as alleged in the indictment, are part of a broader series of similar abusive crimes he is suspected to have committed involving multiple other children during a similar timeframe.

The FBI obtained multiple federal search warrants for Young’s person, home and vehicles between April 4 and 8, 2024. Special agents and deputies from the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the Oregon State Police, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lane County Sheriff’s Office executed the warrants and arrested Young on April 11, 2024.

A federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Young on April 16, 2024. He was arraigned on the indictment Wednesday in federal court in Eugene by a U.S. Magistrate Judge. Young pleaded not guilty and was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.

This case is being investigated by the FBI in conjunction with the Lane County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by William M. McLaren, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. The FBI defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. These images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, and re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed.