Malachi Morgan Thomas, Child Sex Exploitation, Virginia 2020

Malachi Morgan Thomas, a 24-year-old from Virginia, has pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting at least 40 minor girls on Snapchat. According to court documents, Thomas used a hacked Snapchat account to coerce the victims into creating and sending him child sexual abuse material (CSAM) between March 1, 2020, and October 1, 2020.

Thomas, who claimed to lead a criminal organization, threatened the victims and their families if they did not comply. He was aware that several of his victims suffered from anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues, and that many had previously been victims of sexual abuse. In at least one instance, Thomas traveled to a victim’s home, where he engaged in sex with the victim and recorded the encounter.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

On June 6, 2020, Thomas flew to another state and traveled to a victim’s home, where he engaged in sex with the victim and recorded the encounter. The abuse was discovered after police searched one of Thomas’ cell phones, which they seized while investigating an altercation. On July 9, 2020, Thomas traveled to Potomac Mills Mall in Woodbridge to meet a victim he exploited on Snapchat. The victim’s father had learned of Thomas’ actions and appeared at the mall instead of the victim.

Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on September 24 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 40 years in prison. He was arrested on October 1, 2020, on charges of rape and sodomy of two minors in Fairfax County.

The case against Thomas is a stark reminder of the dangers of social media and the importance of protecting our children from predators like Thomas. The Department of Justice will continue to investigate and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, and to identify and rescue victims.

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