Tristan Kalobbe Martin, Child Exploitation, Texas 2022

BEAUMONT, Texas – A Putnam County, Indiana man has been sentenced to over 24 years in federal prison for production of child pornography in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

Tristan Kalobbe Martin, 29, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography and was sentenced to 293 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on July 21, 2025.

According to information presented in court, in June 2022, Martin began communicating with a minor from Jasper County, Texas, while gaming through an on-line game console. Although the victim told Martin they were 15 years old, Martin continued to communicate with the minor. Law enforcement authorities in Jasper contacted law enforcement in Indiana in reference to the relationship. Local law enforcement in Indiana seized Martin’s cell phone, which contained nine videos of the minor engaging in sexually explicit behavior.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the United States government. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s 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.

This case was investigated by the FBI; Putnam County, Indiana, Sheriff’s Office; and the Jasper Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Grove.

Tristan Kalobbe Martin’s lengthy sentence should serve as a warning to those who exploit and abuse children in the digital age. The Grimy Times will continue to expose those who prey on the vulnerable and demand justice for their victims.

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