Former Firefighter Sentenced for Child Coercion

A former lieutenant with the Newport News Fire Department has been sentenced to over 33 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a child and receipt of child pornography.

Court documents reveal that Christopher Scott Jones, 43, used the internet to entice and coerce a minor to engage in sexual activity in February 2022. An investigation by the FBI discovered several children who may have been victims of Jones’ conduct.

Forensic interviews with the minors revealed that three had made disclosures of sexually explicit contact with Jones. One minor disclosed that Jones had engaged with them over the course of nine months in physical and sexual conduct, including inappropriate sexual contact and the mutual exchange of sexually explicit images.

Jones pleaded guilty to using a communication facility to knowingly persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor to engage in sexual activity. He also pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography featuring his victim.

Jones was formerly a lieutenant with the Newport News Fire Department. He was sentenced to 405 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Osyf prosecuted the case, which was assisted by the James City County Police Department.

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