Anton Alexander Martynenko, 33, has been sentenced to 38 years in federal prison — the longest sentence ever handed down in Minnesota for child pornography offenses. The sentence, delivered by U.S. District Judge Richard H. Kyle in Saint Paul, follows Martynenko’s January guilty plea to federal charges tied to a years-long scheme of sexual exploitation targeting minors across the state.
U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger didn’t mince words: ‘This defendant exploited and extorted over 150 young people in a disturbingly manipulative scheme.’ According to court documents, Martynenko used fake female identities — including ‘Marie Anna,’ ‘Courtney Jansgen,’ and ‘Marie94mn’ — on social media platforms to lure teenage boys into sending nude images. He posed as a recent transplant to Minnesota, a college student, and even a scout for a modeling agency to gain trust and escalate to sexual conversations.
One victim, contacted in 2012 under the alias ‘Marie Anna,’ sent explicit photos after receiving nude images of a woman — actually stolen by Martynenko. When the teen stopped responding, the predator threatened to distribute the photos unless more were sent. A year later, the victim discovered his images were already circulating online. Martynenko didn’t just collect — he produced. He created and traded child pornography, using decoy accounts to advertise and spread the material across the web.
Rosemount Police Chief Mitchell Scott called the investigation a grim milestone. ‘There are no winners here,’ he said. ‘But the lengthy prison sentence for Anton Martynenko provides some measure of justice for the many people he victimized over the years.’ The case unfolded through a multi-agency dragnet involving the FBI, Minneapolis Police, Rosemount and Eagan law enforcement, Chaska PD, and the Dakota County Electronic Crimes Task Force.
The prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol M. Kayser as part of Project Safe Childhood, the DOJ’s nationwide initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation. The program coordinates federal, state, and local efforts to track down online predators, dismantle networks, and rescue victims. Martynenko’s case underscores the evolving sophistication of digital predators who weaponize anonymity and emotional manipulation to prey on youth.
If you know of a child who may have been exploited, contact the National Center for Missing or Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or visit www.missingkids.com. For more on federal efforts to combat online child exploitation, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Key Facts
- State: Minnesota
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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