Samuel Eric Snell, 46, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison and will serve 10 years of supervised release for producing child pornography. The sentencing was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
“There is nothing more despicable than repeatedly abusing children,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “We are seeing too many cases like this in Minnesota and every single one of them is unacceptable. Children in Minnesota deserve our protection and those who exploit them will face severe federal consequences.”
According to court documents, Snell used the gaming platform Discord over several years to solicit and receive more than 400 nude images from minor girls. He posed as a man in his early 20s while actually being 43 at the time, targeting children as young as 12. Authorities say he manipulated at least ten minors across multiple states into producing explicit images and met with some victims in person.
During sentencing, prosecutors argued that Snell deliberately selected victims based on their vulnerabilities and exploited their difficult life circumstances through sustained manipulation involving thousands of messages over several years.
Judge John R. Tunheim presided over the case in U.S. District Court, stating, “This is a long sentence, but it is justified” primarily because Snell’s many victims would suffer traumatic effects of his crimes “probably for the rest of their lives.”
FBI Minneapolis Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. commented on the case: “Samuel Snell is a classic child predator, and today he received an appropriately harsh sentence. Snell targeted vulnerable children, including those who had existing mental health concerns. He callously groomed and manipulated at least 10 children with total disregard for their wellbeing. The FBI will work tirelessly to identify and arrest anyone who preys on innocent children.”
The investigation was led by the FBI with assistance from Inver Grove Heights Police Department and Woodbury Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristian C. Weir prosecuted the case.
