Robert L. Northrup, a 55-year-old resident of Niles, Michigan, has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison following his guilty plea to several charges related to child exploitation. The announcement was made by Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. Northrup faced charges including attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, advertising child pornography, and other related offenses. Additionally, he will continue to register as a sex offender.
“Stopping those who intend to prey on children is among the highest priorities of our office and the Department of Justice,” stated McGuire. He further emphasized that this sentence ensures Northrup will not pose a threat to children for the next 25 years and praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents and Assistant U.S. Attorney Morrison for their efforts in securing justice.
Court records revealed that between July 21 and August 22, 2022, Northrup engaged in communication with an FBI covert employee who posed as a thirteen-year-old girl through an online dating application and text messages. His profile on the dating app indicated an interest in young girls, and he maintained eight accounts on the platform. During these interactions, Northrup requested sexually explicit images from minors, discussed sexual activities with the undercover agent, and sent inappropriate photos and videos.
Northrup's criminal history includes convictions for Criminal Sexual Conduct Third Degree and Child Solicitation which mandated his registration as a sex offender. He also has multiple convictions for failing or attempting to fail in registering as a sex offender.
Upon completion of his prison term, Northrup will remain under supervised release for life. The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Clarksville Resident Agency with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica R. Morrison.
