FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, March 27, 2008
MARK ANDREW CHRISTENSEN SENTENCED IN U.S. DISTRICT COURT
Bill Mercer, United States Attorney for the District of Montana, announced today that during a federal court session in Billings, on March 27, 2008, before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard F. Cebull, MARK ANDREW CHRISTENSEN, a 36-year-old resident of Great Falls, appeared for sentencing. CHRISTENSEN was sentenced to a term of:
- Prison: 186 months
- Special Assessment: $100
- Forfeiture: computer equipment
- Supervised Release: life
CHRISTENSEN was sentenced in connection with his guilty plea to coercion and enticement.
In an Offer of Proof filed by the United States, the government stated it would have proved at trial the following:
Beginning in January of 2006, CHRISTENSEN began contacting a person on-line via the use of a computer and the Internet whom he believed was a young teenaged girl. CHRISTENSEN'S chats and instant messages were sexually explicit almost immediately and usually always centered around the two meeting for sex.
CHRISTENSEN was identified as the author of the chats and instant messages using the screen name "hornyguy59405". He sent pictures of himself to the "girl," who was actually an FBI agent posing as a child on-line. The two had a number of chats through June 5, 2006, when CHRISTENSEN came to Billings to meet the "girl" for sex. CHRISTENSEN stopped prior to the meeting to obtain condoms and KY jelly, which were found in his vehicle. CHRISTENSEN went to the meeting location and spoke with a female posing as the "girl." After confirming his identity, law enforcement agents arrested CHRISTENSEN.
When interviewed, CHRISTENSEN confessed to being "horneyguy59405" and to the sexual chats with the "girl." He admitted that he had planned to meet the "girl" for sex and wrote an apology letter to the person he believed was a real girl and her parents.
During a search of CHRISTENSEN'S motel room in Billings, law enforcement officers located a number of items of evidence, including a laptop computer and a condom. During a search of CHRISTENSEN'S truck, law enforcement officers located a camera that CHRISTENSEN planned to use to photograph the "girl" in sexual activity, condoms, and KY jelly. CHRISTENSEN's Yahoo! account was searched and numerous relevant items were located, including his profile, the pictures he sent to the "girl," his address book containing the "girl's" screen name, and other girls' names under the title of "possible sex," and CHRISTENSEN'S other Yahoo! profiles including "ill_pay_4_sex_in_59405" and "longhard59405", among others. CHRISTENSEN'S laptop computer was searched and numerous items of evidence located.
Prior investigations into CHRISTENSEN'S computer activities had occurred on several other occasions. CHRISTENSEN had numerous sexually explicit chats with a "girl" he believed to be under the age of consent from April of 2003 through March of 2004; that "girl" was actually another law enforcement officer. CHRISTENSEN again discussed meeting the "girl" for sex using the same screen name and sending the same pictures. CHRISTENSEN also had a sexually explicit chat with a "girl" he believed to be under the age of consent in January of 2004; that "girl" was actually yet another law enforcement officer.
Because there is no parole in the federal system, the "truth in sentencing" guidelines mandate that CHRISTENSEN will likely serve all of the time imposed by the court. In the federal system, CHRISTENSEN does have the opportunity to earn a sentence reduction for "good behavior." However, this reduction will not exceed 15% of the overall sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Marcia K. Hurd prosecuted the case for the United States.
The investigation was a cooperative effort between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Billings Police Department and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Department of Justice launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
