Approximately 112 videos and 70 images of child pornography were found on the man’s Snapchat account, according to court documents. — Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
A Kentucky man will spend 30 years in prison after he paid children for Fortnite “coins” if they sent him sexually explicit photos, federal officials said.
Collin Marshall Newton, 25, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of children, online enticement of a minor, distribution of child pornography and other related charges on Sept 29, 2023, according to an Aug 12 news release from the US Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Kentucky.
Newton’s attorneys did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment on Aug 23.
Two relatives of a 12-year-old boy approached a Kentucky police department in 2022 to report that their family member was contacted by Newton through an online game and started to communicate with the child through Snapchat, according to a criminal complaint filed in September 2022.
Officers analysed the 12-year-old’s phone and found a video depicting child sex abuse involving a 13-year-old boy and 14-year-old girl, officials said. The child said he received US$400 (RM1,739) from Newton, the criminal complaint said.
A third child victim sent images to Newton through the 12-year-old victim, who acted as an “intermediary,” according to investigators.
Newton also connected with an 11-year-old boy on the online video game Fortnite and made at least four visits to the child’s home where he forced the child to perform sex acts, according to court documents.
The man, a Henderson resident, paid the child in cash to purchase Fortnite “coins” in exchange for sexually explicit photos, according to the complaint.
The 11-year-old and 12-year-old boys were friends and went to the same school, according to court documents.
Officials requested Newton’s material through Snapchat. The files they received showed multiple videos depicting child pornography and communications between Newton and the 12-year-old boy, the criminal complaint said.
Approximately 112 videos and 70 images of child pornography were found on the man’s Snapchat account, according to court documents.
In August 2022, investigators searched Newton’s home and interviewed him.
Officers “asked Newton if he had any idea why we wanted to speak with him,” according to court documents. “He then proffered, ‘Doesn’t have anything to do with children, does it?’ He then explained that he couldn’t take back the things he had done or sent.”
Newton said he was “sexually attracted” to the 11-year-old victim and said the two engaged in sex acts on a video call and exchanged sexually explicit photos, according to investigators.
Law enforcement found sexually explicit images on Newton’s phone during the search, according to the complaint. They found a folder of photos showing children between the ages of 9 and 14 engaged in sex acts, the complaint said.
In addition to his prison sentence, Newton was sentenced to a 30-year supervised release and must pay over US$3,000 (RM13,044) in restitution, federal officials said. – Merced Sun-Star/Tribune News Service
