A Ketchikan man has been sentenced to 13 years and 4 months in prison for his role in running a group chat that distributed child pornography. Walter William Onstad, a 46-year-old resident of Ketchikan, was found to be the administrator of the chat, which was used to exchange images and videos of child sexual abuse.
Court documents show that Onstad solicited images of child sexual abuse from others, personally verified the images, and uploaded them to the group chat. He also granted access to those who provided the images. The investigation revealed that Onstad’s cell phone contained over 300 images and 40 videos of child sexual abuse, and he admitted to possessing and distributing over 600 images.
“Mr. Onstad contributed to the victimization of children by running a child sexual abuse material distribution chat and was responsible for sharing hundreds of images of innocent children,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “We will continue to work with law enforcement to relentlessly pursue, arrest and prosecute individuals who traffic images of child sexual abuse and hold them responsible for the incalculable damage they’ve caused.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Schmidt prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The Juneau Resident Agency of the FBI Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the Ketchikan Police Department and North Carolina’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, investigated the case.
The FBI’s Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day echoed the U.S. Attorney’s sentiments, stating, “Innocent children are revictimized each time CSAM is distributed. As an administrator of a CSAM distribution operation, Walter Onstad fueled a market that preys on our most vulnerable. No matter how they commit their crimes, those who sexually exploit children will be pursued and held accountable by the FBI and law enforcement partners, for justice and the safety of our children.”
Onstad’s sentence is a result of his role in perpetuating the distribution of child pornography. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of holding individuals accountable for their actions and the devastating impact that child sexual abuse has on victims and their families.
The FBI and law enforcement agencies will continue to work together to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse, ensuring that those who commit these heinous crimes are brought to justice.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative that aims to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about the initiative, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Key Facts
- State: Alaska
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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