Korthals Gets 5 Years for Sending Explicit Photo to ‘Girl’

HARRISONBURG, VA – Willy Alexander Korthals, 30, of Beaufort, North Carolina, will spend the next five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a sickening attempt to exploit a child. Korthals received a 60-month sentence yesterday for attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor, a crime uncovered by an FBI undercover operation.

The depravity began in May 2022, when Korthals stumbled into a Kik chat room for “Active Parents,” specifically a group titled “Loving Family.” He responded to a deliberately baiting post – “Anyone want to come to Virginia to have sex with my daughter?” – initiating a horrifying exchange. When Korthals inquired about the “daughter’s” age and was told she was nine years old, he didn’t back down. He pressed forward, unaware he was communicating with an undercover FBI employee posing as the girl’s father.

Court documents detail a year-long obsession. Korthals immediately sent a nude photograph of his erect penis in an attempt to solicit images from the supposed child. The requests escalated. He relentlessly demanded “live” photographs and sexually explicit videos, and even attempted to arrange a FaceTime call with the undercover father and “daughter,” intending to witness the virtual sexual abuse of a minor. He didn’t stop at observation; Korthals explicitly described the acts of sexual abuse he wanted inflicted upon the child, including oral, vaginal, and anal sex.

The investigation revealed the full extent of Korthals’ planning. In August 2022, he prepared for an in-person meeting with the undercover operatives, even providing laboratory test results of his STD status – a chilling indication of his intent to engage in unprotected sexual contact with a nine-year-old. He continued to detail the horrific acts he wished to commit, painting a disturbing picture of premeditation. Fortunately, Korthals cancelled the meeting just two days before it was scheduled, but not before leaving a trail of evidence that secured his conviction.

“This case highlights the dangers children face online and the FBI’s commitment to protecting them,” said Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division. United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh added that the sentence sends a clear message: those who prey on children will be brought to justice. Korthals waived his right to an indictment and pled guilty to a one-count Information charging him with attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child exploitation and abuse. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melanie Smith prosecuted the case. Anyone with information about suspected child exploitation is urged to contact the FBI or their local law enforcement agency. Further information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.