Christopher Martin, 46, of Markham has been sentenced to 33 years and nine months in federal prison after admitting he ran an online chat that traded in child sexual abuse material. U.S. District Chief Judge Virginia M. Kendall handed down the sentence on Thursday, June 11, closing a case in which federal authorities said Martin moderated a Kik group and pressured members to keep posting illegal content.
Prosecutors' account
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, Martin operated and moderated a group chat on the instant messaging app Kik and required participants to “constantly share photos and videos of child pornography” to stay in the group. Prosecutors say Martin was a prolific trader in the chat, removed users who refused to provide material, and encouraged newcomers to “send youngest.”
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros and the FBI’s Chicago field office and was imposed by Chief Judge Kendall on June 11.
What prosecutors said in court
“Defendant’s offense is extremely serious,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Elie Zenner wrote in the government’s sentencing memorandum, according to the federal release. Zenner argued that Martin’s facilitation of the sharing of hundreds of images and videos of young children helped drive the creation of some of that material and encouraged future abuse. Federal officials credited investigative work by the FBI and Homeland Security partners in bringing the case.
Evidence described in the reporting
CBS Chicago reports that prosecutors presented chat excerpts showing Martin telling a prospective user, “Send what you got. Anything young is fine for group trade . . . send youngest.” CBS Chicago also reports that Martin enforced a rule requiring members to continually post new material or be removed from the group.
Legal implications
Martin pleaded guilty to transportation of child pornography under federal law. As explained by Cornell Law School's Legal Information Institute, 18 U.S.C. § 2252A sets a statutory minimum of five years in prison for transporting or distributing child sexual abuse material and a typical maximum of 20 years, with enhanced penalties that can reach 40 years or more when aggravating factors or prior convictions are present. Judges weigh those statutory ranges along with federal sentencing guidelines and the specific facts of each case when deciding the final term.
Support and reporting
Federal officials and news reports direct anyone who believes they or a loved one is a victim of sexual exploitation to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The center maintains resources and a 24 hour hotline at 1 800 843 5678. Local residents with information are also urged to contact the FBI’s Chicago field office or the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
