A Baltimore federal judge has sentenced Mark Rice, 38, of Elkton, Maryland, to 30 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for producing and distributing child sexual abuse material.
Rice was found guilty of one count of producing child sexual abuse material, one count of distributing child sexual abuse material, and one count of possessing child sexual abuse material.
The charges stem from Rice sexually abusing two minors in his care while using social media to distribute and solicit child sexual abuse material, according to his plea agreement.
Rice used his position of authority to sexually abuse a minor — beginning when she was less than 3 years old — as he created photographic evidence of the abuse, the agreement states.
He also exploited a second minor through surreptitious photography and actively participated in online communities dedicated to trading child sexual abuse material, using platforms such as Reddit, Telegram, and Kik to distribute images of his victims and obtain material depicting other children.
“Rice is a dangerous predator who is now behind bars for a long time where he can’t harm any more children,” said Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland.
This sentence reflects the gravity of exploiting the most vulnerable members of our communities. We’re committed to working with our law-enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute those who sexually abuse children and participate in networks that perpetuate such exploitation,” Hayes added.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTip from Reddit regarding the transmission of child sexual abuse material in April 2023, which led authorities to an IP address associated with Rice’s Elkton residence.
During an MSP interview, Rice denied the accusation but was observed deleting photos from his phone. When Rice showed officers his phone, investigators spotted child sexual abuse material in a thumbnail image. Through a deeper search, authorities uncovered additional material in his recently deleted folder.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI and MSP for their investigative efforts and NCMEC for its valuable assistance in the case. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Gordin who prosecuted the case.
Mark Rice, Defendant, Exact criminal charges: Producing and distributing child sexual abuse material, City and state: Baltimore, Maryland, Exact date: April 2023, Sentence or outcome: 30 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Related Federal Cases
- Anthony Hamel, Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material, California, 2025 · Kansas
- Jose Hernandez, First-Degree Child Sexual Abuse, Maryland 2018 · District of Columbia
- Gary Bellinger, First-Degree Child Sexual Abuse, Maryland 2024 · District of Columbia
- Mikeale Frazier Sentenced to 10 Years for Child Sexual Abuse, DC, 2023 · Idaho
- Victor Larry Lee Wright, Child Sex Abuse Production, WA 2023 · Maryland
Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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