A North Fort Myers man has been sentenced to a stretch of six years in federal prison for crimes related to child sexual abuse images. Caleb Robert Wien, age 22, received his sentence following a guilty plea earlier this year for possession of these materials. U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell also determined that Wien will face a 20-year term of supervised release and is required to register as a sex offender.
Documents from the court outline that between May 16 and September 7 of 2023, Wien used social media apps to find and collect images and videos depicting the abuse of children. According to the Department of Justice, Wien's activity was first flagged by electronic service providers, which then reported the findings to the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). These led to three cybertips that brought his activities to light.
The FBI swooped into action on September 7, 2023, executing a search warrant at Wien’s residence. This resulted in the confiscation of Wien's cellphone. During an interview with agents, Wien confessed to having viewed child sexual abuse material for two years and disclosed his use of specific social media apps to engage with and store the illicit content. A thorough forensic examination of the phone later revealed the presence of the damning images and videos.
This case fell under the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Fort Myers Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes members of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Yolande G. Viacava handled the prosecution. The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a broader initiative launched in May 2006 to combat child exploitation using extensive legal resources.
