A 29-year-old Rehoboth man was taken into custody Thursday after federal agents say they found child sexual abuse material hidden on a phone tucked in his luggage at Boston Logan International Airport. The man, identified in charging documents as Christopher Mota, is accused in a federal criminal complaint of sexually exploiting minors and has already made an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Boston. Prosecutors say the material includes videos showing girls between the ages of 12 and 16.
According to Boston 25 News, Mota was arrested Thursday and charged by criminal complaint with four counts of sexual exploitation of children after agents say they seized an iPhone 16 Pro Max during a border search of his luggage. That device allegedly held a hidden Photos folder containing apparent child sexual abuse material. Prosecutors say Mota was about to board a June 5, 2025 flight from Logan to Aruba when the phone was taken.
In a recorded interview with investigators, Mota allegedly admitted he had been soliciting sexual images and videos from young girls for more than five years and said he obtained material through Snapchat, text messages and Telegram, according to Boston 25 News. He is said to have estimated that he had material from "approximately 20 to 25 minor girls" and told investigators, "It's a lot" and "Probably hundreds." A preliminary forensic review of the device allegedly revealed sexually explicit communications and exchanges of child sexual abuse material involving at least four identified minor girls.
Preliminary forensic review and charges
Prosecutors say the forensic review tied explicit communications on the phone to at least four identified minor girls, and Mota is charged with four counts of sexual exploitation of children. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, each charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine, if he is convicted.
What he faces in court
If the case results in a conviction, Mota could be looking at decades in federal prison followed by lengthy supervised release. Fines and restitution may also be part of any eventual sentence. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says prosecutions like this fall under Project Safe Childhood, the Department of Justice’s national initiative to combat online sexual exploitation of children and identify victims.
A larger pattern online
Federal prosecutors and child-safety advocates point out that cases like this play out against a backdrop of massive online reporting of suspected child sexual exploitation. The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline received 20.5 million reports in 2024, according to NCMEC, and experts say encrypted messaging and popular social apps often make investigations more complex and time-consuming.
Mota made his initial appearance in federal court Thursday, and the case remains under investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston is working with local law enforcement on the probe. Officials say anyone with information or concerns about possible victimization can contact the District of Massachusetts or reach out to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children for resources and reporting assistance.
