A Charlotte man has been sentenced to a substantial prison term for crimes involving the sexual exploitation of minors. Phillip Christopher Weise, aged 36, was handed down a 42-year sentence followed by a lifetime of supervised release, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of North Carolina announced. Weise's conduct, which included the production of child pornography, use of extortion, and the transfer of obscene materials to minors, led to this outcome. He has further been ordered to register as a sex offender upon his eventual release.
Investigations into Weise's activities commenced in December 2020 when a cybertip flagged his use of social media to upload child pornography. According to the court documents, Weise managed to partially mask his identity by posing as a minor to befriend and exploit children on platforms including Kik, Snapchat, Discord, and JusTalk. It was revealed that he didn’t just stop at sending illicit images but also coaxed the children to send him sexual material, sometimes involving their younger siblings or animals.
The enquiry brought to light the extent of his manipulation; if the minors resisted his demands, Weise threatened to publicly share their videos, effectively using their fear and vulnerability to control them. More than six victims were identified, their ages ranging from four to twelve. Weise not only targeted these young individuals but shared the explicit materials with other offenders, amplifying the scope of his crimes and the trauma inflicted on his victims.
U.S. District Judge Frank D. Whitney, while sentencing Weise, noted the gravity and the enduring impact of these crimes. "Weise’s crimes will have a life-long effect on his victims," his judgment echoed, indicating the sensitivity of the case and the damage to the young lives Weise manipulated. Weise had previously pled guilty to the charges on March 9, 2023, and now awaits transfer to a federal Bureau of Prisons facility to serve his term.
The efforts of the FBI and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department were highlighted by U.S. Attorney Dena J. King. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimlani Ford, along with Trial Attorney Gwendelynn Bills from the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), led the prosecution. This case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing battle against the exploitation of minors and the long-term consequences such acts hold for the victims involved.
