Last Tuesday, a dramatic turn of justice took place as a Roanoke Rapids man received a substantial prison sentence for crimes involving the exploitation of children online. Christopher Skipper, 39, who had previously pled guilty to the distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), was given 210 months in federal prison. This was not Skipper’s first encounter with the law on such matters, as he was already on federal supervised release for an earlier conviction for child pornography. Adding to his punishment was an 18-month sentence for the violation of his supervision terms, and upon release, he'd face 60 months of supervised release, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office release.
In a strong statement, U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle underscored the commitment of law enforcement to rooting out such predators, "Our office will continue to protect children and prosecute child predators who exploit and abuse the most vulnerable members of our community. If you hurt children this way, we will find you and hold you accountable for the endless revictimization that these children face. We will put you in federal prison for as long as possible to protect our communities and children." Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte Special Agent in Charge Cardell T. Morant, who oversees operations in North and South Carolina, echoed this stance in a statement released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, stating that such actions will not go unaddressed.
The case against Skipper received its initial spark in Fall 2024 when the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office was tipped off by a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). A detailed investigation ensued, revealing Skipper was distributing CSAM via a Kik social media account. After examining his account, law enforcement found evidences, including numerous exchanges where explicit images were shared, and Skipper’s own alarming expressions of sexual interest in children.
On June 27, 2024, Skipper was found sharing images and videos of CSAM with another Kik user, which disturbingly also included a video depicting a young girl being sexually assaulted by an adult male. The link between Skipper’s online activities and his physical residence in Roanoke Rapids, after the further investigation, was unmistakably disconcerting, according to court documents.
During sentencing, the court emphasized the large amount of illegal content discovered on the defendant’s phone, which included more than 700 videos of CSAM, as well as the explicit nature of his communications. The severe harm caused to victims by the distribution of such material was identified as a key factor in determining the sentence. Skipper’s case was prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative focused on addressing child sexual exploitation and abuse.
The announcement of Skipper’s sentencing was made public by U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle, following the decision rendered by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The investigative efforts that led to this result involved collaboration between the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar handling the prosecution.
