A Mount Orab man is facing a stack of federal charges after prosecutors say he spent years grooming teenage girls on social media, paying them for sexually explicit videos and then using violent threats to keep them quiet. The 37-year-old, identified as Mark Chandler, appeared in federal court in Cincinnati on Tuesday and now faces counts that could put him behind bars for decades.
Allegations and charges
According to FOX19, Chandler has been charged with sexual exploitation of children, coercion and enticement, and receiving child pornography. The investigation reportedly began after the Highland County Sheriff’s Office received a tip in November 2025, which kicked off a probe that led to Chandler’s arrest on local charges before federal authorities stepped in.
How prosecutors say he groomed victims
Charging documents reviewed by WLWT allege Chandler used social media apps to groom girls for as long as two years. Investigators say he paid at least one girl with Visa gift cards in exchange for explicit photos and videos, and that at least five victims, each about 14 years old, were persuaded to produce sexually explicit material for him.
Threats and evidence found
Federal prosecutors told FOX19 that investigators recovered screen recordings and messages from Chandler’s electronics. In those communications, he allegedly threatened to drown one victim or use knives to cut her throat if she “tattled” about what was going on. Prosecutors say those messages are central to the coercion and enticement charges laid out in the federal complaint.
Penalties and next steps
As reported by WLWT, the charges carry significant potential prison time. Sexual exploitation of children can carry sentences of up to 30 years per count, coercion and enticement can bring up to life in prison, and receiving child pornography can carry up to 20 years. Chandler has already appeared in Cincinnati federal court as prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office evaluate further filings and the next steps in the case.
Federal context
Officials say the case falls under the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, which coordinates federal, state and local efforts to track down and prosecute people who exploit children online. According to the Department of Justice, cases like this often start with a local tip, are developed by federal agents and are then brought into federal court once prosecutors determine the evidence meets their standards.
