U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary | U.S. Department of Justice
An Athens man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the sexual exploitation of a child, following an investigation under Project Safe Childhood. Chris Adam Valentine, aged 37, received the maximum sentence permitted by federal guidelines. U.S. District Judge Tilman E. "Tripp" Self, III handed down the sentence on December 10. In addition to his prison term, Valentine will face a lifetime of supervised release and must pay $90,000 in restitution. He is also required to register as a sex offender upon his release.
Valentine had previously pleaded guilty on May 28 to one count of sexual exploitation of a child. The federal system does not allow parole.
U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary emphasized the commitment to removing child predators from communities: “Our office is determined to identify and remove child predators from our communities and hold them fully accountable for their heinous crimes.”
Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Atlanta, highlighted the efforts that led to Valentine's sentencing: “Thanks to the diligent efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and its law enforcement partners, this predator will now spend three decades behind bars for his appalling actions.”
Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Saulters underscored the importance of collaboration among agencies: "Cases like these exemplify the value of partnerships between local, state and federal agencies."
The plea agreement revealed that Valentine admitted using his cellphone between January 1 and December 31, 2022, to film a seven-year-old child engaging in sexual conduct with an adult male.
This case was part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) along with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Peach prosecuted the case.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
