A Colorado man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison and will be subject to lifetime supervised release for his involvement in an online forum that sexually exploited minors.
Court documents show that Steven Glenn Christiansen, 69, of Fort Collins, used a mobile messaging app with end-to-end encryption to access private group chats. In these groups, users exchanged images and videos depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Members also shared livestreams and saved files on third-party platforms, often involving minors in sexually explicit conduct at the direction of group members. Christiansen communicated with other users to request and exchange CSAM. A search warrant executed at his home led to the seizure of several digital devices containing such material. He admitted to possessing thousands of images.
Christiansen pleaded guilty in August 2025 to one count of possession of child pornography. He had previously been convicted in Colorado in March 2000 for sexually assaulting a child.
The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Kaylynn Foulon from the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Hindman for the District of Colorado.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly for the District of Colorado, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Marvin Massey of the FBI Denver Field Office announced the sentencing.
"This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc."
