BEAUMONT, Texas – The grim realities of online predators have once again come to light as Tristan Kalobbe Martin, a 29-year-old from Putnam County, Indiana, has been sentenced to more than 24 years in federal prison for the production of child pornography. The sentence was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Martin, who pleaded guilty to the charge on July 21, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone, will serve 293 months for his despicable acts. According to court documents, Martin used an online game console to begin communicating with a minor from Jasper County, Texas, in June 2022. Despite the victim’s claim of being 15 years old, Martin continued his sinister communication.
Law enforcement was alerted when the Texas victim informed Indiana authorities about their interaction. Upon investigation, local police seized Martin’s cell phone, which harbored nine videos depicting the minor engaging in sexually explicit behavior. The case was part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide effort to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse since May 2006.
Project Safe Childhood, led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), collaborates with federal, state, and local agencies to apprehend predators and rescue victims. For more information, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This investigation was a joint effort by the FBI, Putnam County, Indiana, Sheriff’s Office, and the Jasper Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove prosecuted the case.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Cybercrime|Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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