PROVIDENCE, RI – Christopher Kinney, 44, of Warren, Rhode Island, is staring down the barrel of a potential life sentence after admitting to a sickening scheme to exploit a minor and a disturbing cache of child pornography. The guilty plea, entered on May 30, 2019, details a calculated effort to groom and meet a child he believed to be 14 years old.
According to court documents, Kinney initiated online communications on April 16, 2018, with an individual he thought was a teenage girl. The conversations rapidly devolved into sexually explicit exchanges, outlining Kinney’s depraved fantasies. He planned to meet the supposed 14-year-old at the Warwick Mall, intending to infantilize her with diapers before attempting to engage in sexual activity – a plan that thankfully never came to fruition. The person on the other end of the screen wasn’t a vulnerable child, but an undercover Rhode Island State Police Detective assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.
On April 26, 2018, the ICAC Task Force moved in. Kinney was apprehended as he arrived at the Warwick Mall food court, eager to fulfill his twisted desires. A search of his vehicle revealed a diaper bag stuffed with diapers, a pacifier, a baby bottle, condoms, candy, and even children’s bubble fluid – a chilling testament to the meticulous planning of his predatory behavior. Authorities also seized an Apple iPhone from Kinney’s pocket, which contained approximately 56 images of child pornography, as well as evidence of numerous instances of receiving and sharing such material, including images depicting the severe abuse of children.
The United States Attorney’s Office, led by Aaron L. Weisman, alongside the Rhode Island State Police under Colonel James M. Manni, and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh, brought the charges against Kinney. He pleaded guilty to using means of interstate commerce to entice a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity, distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. Sentencing is scheduled for September 13, 2019, before U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith.
Kinney now faces a grim future. The statutory penalties include 10 years to life imprisonment, a mandatory $5,000 assessment as mandated by the Justice for Victims Trafficking Act, and a fine of up to $250,000 for the charge of enticing a minor. He also faces 5–20 years imprisonment, another $5,000 assessment, and a $250,000 fine for distribution of child pornography, and up to 10 years imprisonment, a $5,000 assessment, and a $250,000 fine for possession. Adding to his legal woes, Kinney is also facing separate child molestation charges in Rhode Island state court.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gendron is prosecuting the federal case. This case serves as a stark reminder of the pervasive threat of online predators and the vital work of the ICAC Task Force in protecting vulnerable children. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the sentencing.
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Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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