A Sterling man was sentenced on July 16 to five years in prison for receipt of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, John Joseph Chanel, 37, uploaded two videos depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to an Internet-based cloud storage platform in June 2024 and requested and received images and videos depicting CSAM via an Internet-based peer-to-peer platform. Forensic analysis of Chanel’s devices and social media accounts revealed that in June 2024, a user on the KiK social media platform asked Chanel if he had CSAM to trade. Chanel confirmed he did and provided a link to his Dropbox account, which contained numerous images and videos of CSAM. The other user reciprocated by providing more material at Chanel’s request. A similar exchange occurred three days later on the same messaging platform.
On September 25, 2024, law enforcement searched Chanel’s residence in Sterling and seized his cellphone and computer. Investigators identified dozens of files containing CSAM on his devices as well as in his social media and cloud storage accounts. The files included graphic depictions of the sexual abuse of children.
Chanel pled guilty on March 13.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case. Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lyndi McVey and Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Strobbe prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse.