A Nevada man is facing federal charges in Las Vegas after prosecutors say he tried to set up live-streamed sexual abuse involving children and received child sexual abuse material online.
Carl Schilbe made his first appearance in federal court on Friday following a grand jury indictment. The charging document alleges his conduct stretched from around Jan. 6, 2023, through May 29, 2024, with the receipt of illicit images and video in April 2024. Prosecutors say the case is part of a broader federal push to crack down on online child exploitation.
Indictment and charges
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Schilbe with three counts of attempted sexual exploitation of children and one count of receipt of child pornography.
Prosecutors say Schilbe allegedly tried to “order and coordinate the live streaming of the sexual abuse of children” between about Jan. 6, 2023, and May 29, 2024, and that he received child sexual abuse material on April 18 and 19, 2024. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Investigation and local context
Local and state agencies have been ramping up digital and undercover work targeting online child exploitation. Earlier this month, Nevada State Police executed search warrants and arrested a suspect in a separate child sexual abuse material investigation, according to FOX5 Las Vegas.
Legal process and penalties
If convicted on the federal counts, Schilbe faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison. Any eventual sentence would be determined by a judge who must weigh the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines along with other statutory factors.
The U.S. Attorney's Office emphasized in its release that an indictment is merely an allegation and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
What’s next
The case will move forward in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas, where prosecutors are expected to turn over discovery and litigate any pretrial motions.
Anyone with information related to potential child exploitation can contact Nevada State Police as outlined in recent coverage, FOX5 Las Vegas reports.
