Aaron Joseph Wehrstein, 25, of Columbus, N.C., has been sentenced to 21 years in federal prison for producing child pornography and ‘catfishing’ at least eight young male victims.
According to court documents, Wehrstein used the screenname ‘JessicaLovesYou#1816’ on the popular messaging app Discord to distribute child pornography and lure in minor males. He would pose as a female and send them explicit images of females, then coerce them into creating and sending him explicit images and videos of themselves.
A forensic analysis of Wehrstein’s electronic devices revealed he had possessed over 4,197 images and videos of child pornography. The investigation, led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of North Carolina, also found that Wehrstein used Twitter to communicate with minors and receive child pornography created by the victims.
Wehrstein pleaded guilty on March 29, 2024, to using a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. As part of his sentence, he will also have to pay a $5,000 special assessment, serve a lifetime of supervised release, and register as a sex offender after he is released from prison.
U.S. Attorney Dena J. King said: ‘Wehrstein is an online predator who used a catfishing scheme to prey upon innocent victims, causing them significant emotional distress and mental anguish.’ King added that her office and law enforcement partners are committed to protecting vulnerable young people from predators like Wehrstein.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant said: ‘Wehrstein will be held accountable for his predatory and reprehensible behavior.’ Morant noted the need for constant online vigilance to protect the most vulnerable among us.
Related Federal Cases
- Ex-Guard Gonderman Gets 14 Years for Child Porn · North Carolina
- Wilmington Predator Gets 18 Years for Child Porn · North Carolina
- Valdese Man Gets 7.5 Years for Child Porn · North Carolina
- Jamel ‘Goo’ Yates Gets 3 Years in $1.3M Wire Fraud Scheme · North Carolina
- Mirna Leticia Duran Gets 2 Years for Tax Fraud Scheme · North Carolina
Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News