A Valley Springs man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for receiving material involving the sexual exploitation of minors, a federal crime.
Nicholas Carroll Watkins, 30, of Valley Springs, California, was sentenced on no date provided by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill for the crime. Watkins will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to a criminal complaint and sentencing documents, Watkins used Kik Messenger and SayHi, messaging applications based outside the United States, to engage in sexually explicit communications with other adults as well as numerous minor females. Watkins discussed his sexual interest in children and often solicited and received sexually explicit images directly from minors.
This case was the result of an investigation by the Miami, Florida and Stockton, California offices of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa prosecuted the case.
The defendant, Nicholas Carroll Watkins, is a 30-year-old man from Valley Springs, California. The exact date of the crime or sentencing is not provided in the source.
Watkins’ sentence includes 25 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. He will be required to register as a sex offender.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Key Facts
- State: California
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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