A Fredericksburg, Virginia man pleaded guilty to production and possession of child sexual abuse material.
Between December 2018 and April 2019, Chad Michael Lehofer, 37, repeatedly engaged in sexually explicit discussions with a minor online. Lehofer enticed and coerced the minor to produce sexually explicit pictures and videos, and directed the minor to send the pictures and videos to Lehofer.
When the minor tried to break off contact with Lehofer, he pretended to be a different person and continued to communicate with the minor online under that false identity. Lehofer sent threatening messages to the minor, telling the minor that if the minor did not send him sexually explicit videos, he would expose the minor to others, including the minor’s mother and friends.
Lehofer claimed to be watching the minor’s house and would send the minor messages indicating that he knew the minor’s location and that he would be waiting at the minor’s home. In response to these threats, the minor produced a sexually explicit video and sent it to Lehofer.
Lehofer’s cell phone contained numerous images and videos of child sexual abuse material involving prepubescent minors. This is not Lehofer’s first run-in with the law. He was previously convicted in Connecticut in 2006 for state offenses involving his sexual abuse of two minors.
Lehofer is scheduled to be sentenced on February 16, 2023. He faces a mandatory minimum of at least 15 years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. made the announcement.
Related Federal Cases
- Chad Michael Lehofer, Child Pornography, Virginia 2023 · Connecticut
- Chad Michael Lehofer Sentenced to 19 Years for Production and Possession of Child Pornography, Fredericksburg VA, 2023 · Connecticut
- Chad Michael Lehofer, Child Pornography, Virginia 2023 · Connecticut
- Philip Stephen Plyler, Child Exploitation, West Virginia 2024 · Connecticut
- Joshua White, Child Sex Abuse Material Distribution, New York 2024 · Connecticut
Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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