Christian Sinclair, Child Exploitation, Missouri 2020

State: Missouri
Category: Sex Crimes
Source: <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo/pr/kansas-national-guard-soldier-pleads-guilty-sexual-exploitation-child-0" style="color:#cc0000;" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">DOJ Press Release ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Â Ã¢â‚¬â€

Christian Sinclair, a 21-year-old soldier serving with the Army National Guard from Chanute, Kansas, has been arrested and charged with child exploitation in Missouri.

Sinclair pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of the sexual exploitation of an 11-year-old southwest Missouri victim to produce child pornography.

The crime took place from August 1, 2020, through June 15, 2021, during which time Sinclair used a minor to produce child pornography, including receiving and sending explicit images and videos via Snapchat.

This was reported to the authorities by a captain in the Kansas National Guard, who was made aware of the situation by Sinclair’s fiancée. She had screenshots of text messages between herself and Sinclair, in which he admitted to ‘cheating’ on her with the 11-year-old child.

The child victim told investigators that she had sent Sinclair multiple pornographic images and videos of herself at his request, and that he had also sent her explicit images of himself. Sinclair admitted to these allegations.

Under federal statutes, Sinclair is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum sentence is life in prison without parole, but will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. It was investigated by the FBI, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, the Lamar, Mo., Police Department, the Sierra Vista, Arizona, Police Department, and the Chanute, Kan., Police Department.

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