Alamdar Hamdani U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A McAllen man has been sentenced to over 33 years in prison for crimes involving the enticement of a minor and the production of child sexual abuse material. U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced that Christian Hanks, aged 29, pleaded guilty on October 15, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez handed down sentences of 400 months for enticement and 360 months for production of child pornography, to be served concurrently. The court noted the repetitive nature and manipulation involved in Hanks' offenses, describing his behavior as that of a sexual predator. Upon completion of his prison term, Hanks will serve ten years on supervised release with conditions restricting his access to children and the internet. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
“As the court found, the defendant’s behavior in this case was particularly abhorrent, and deserving of a significant sentence,” said Ganjei. “Children deserve to grow up in a safe community, free from the predations of individuals like Hanks.”
Mark Lippa, Deputy Special Agent in Charge at Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), stated: “The conviction and sentencing of this individual today highlights our steadfast dedication to safeguarding our children.”
The investigation revealed that Hanks recorded himself abusing a minor victim in December 2023 and engaged in communications about further abuse with this victim and others over several years. Additionally, he groomed another minor victim in Louisiana for sexual conduct.
Hanks remains in custody awaiting transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations offices in Texas and Louisiana. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cahal P. McColgan and Earl M. Campbell prosecuted the case under Project Safe Childhood (PSC), an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation.
