Eastern District of Virginia prosecutes 15 child exploitation cases under Project Safe Childhood in the previous month

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia (EDVA) prosecuted 15 defendants during the month of April under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.

EDVA brought two new Project Safe Childhood cases during April while achieving eight convictions and five substantial sentences, including a life sentence.

Indictments

On April 7, a federal grand jury indicted Bryan Brooke, 63, of Bates City, Missouri, on a charge of distribution of CSAM. Case No. 3: 26-cr-40

On April 8, a grand jury indicted Nicolas Antonio Lainez, 19, of Hawaii, on counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, sexual exploitation of a child, and transportation of CSAM. Lainez was charged by criminal complaint on March 12 with production of CSAM and transportation of CSAM. Lainez was living with a family on Fort Eustis when he allegedly recorded himself sexually exploiting a six-year-old victim. Case No. 4: 26-CR-28

Pleas

Malachi Morgan Thomas, 24, of Woodbridge, pled guilty on April 2 to sexually exploiting more than 40 minor girls on Snapchat. Thomas coerced the victims, between the ages of 12 and 17, to engage in sexually explicit conduct and directed them to create and send him CSAM. Thomas flew to another state and travelled to a victim’s home where he engaged in sex with her. On Oct. 1, 2020, Fairfax County Police arrested Thomas on charges of rape and sodomy of two minors in Fairfax County. Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 40 years in prison. Case No. 1:25-cr-327

On April 21, Tucker Lee Martin pled guilty to attempted sexual exploitation of children. In 2021, Martin used his Tumblr account to upload a photo of himself engaged in a sexual act while seated next to a three-year-old toddler. Martin also used Snapchat to send graphic photos of himself and solicit CSAM from adults and minors, including asking a child to engage in bestiality. Investigators identified 195 files of suspected CSAM on Martin’s cellphone and 172 files on his Kik account. Martin is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 17 and faces a mandatory minimum of imprisonment of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. Case No. 2:26-cr-32

On April 22, William Thomas Alley, 41, of Hampton, pled guilty to receiving CSAM. Alley used the Kik and Telegram apps to chat with other users about CSAM, and Alley solicited CSAM online. On four of Alley’s electronic devices, investigators identified 398 images of CSAM, including images of toddlers, bestiality, and bondage, and 58 video files of CSAM. Alley is scheduled to be sentenced on July 21 and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison. Case No. 4:26-cr-14

On April 22, Christopher Charles Collins, 40, of Newport News, pled guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a child and receipt of CSAM. On Oct. 28, 2025, while on probation, Collins communicated over the Chatiw app and Dischord platform with a person he believed was a 14-year-old girl, but who was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. Collins arranged to meet the purported for sex. Law enforcement arrested Collins when he arrived at the prearranged location. Investigators identified numerous CSAM images on Collins’ cellphone. Collins is scheduled to be sentenced on July 30 and faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years and up to life in prison. Case No. 4:26-cr-19

On April 23, Randon Alexander Sprinkle, 31, of Richmond, pled guilty to distribution of CSAM. On May 22, 2025, Sprinkle used the Jack’d online dating app to contact a person he believed to be the father of a nine-year-old child, but who was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. Sprinkle asked to move the conversation to Telegram and sent the officer a CSAM image. Investigators later identified numerous CSAM images on Sprinkle’s electronic devices. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 26 and Sprinkle faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison. Case No. 3:26-cr-2

On April 30, William Dana Holcomb, 70, of Hampton, pled guilty to distribution of CSAM. From April 4-7, 2025, Holcomb engaged in chats in which he offered to pay for “Early Young Teen girl or 10 and Under hopefully.” Among numerous other requests Holcomb made in chats, in one he asked to have sex with a seven-year-old. Investigators identified CSAM on Holcomb’s cellphone, and he admitted that he had distributed CSAM. Holcomb is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 10 and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison. Case No. 4:25-cr-80

On April 30, David Brent Timberlake, 65, of Henrico, pled guilty to receiving CSAM. Between April 3, 2021, and Aug. 6, 2022, Timberlake requested CSAM files through a peer-to-peer network. For example, on Aug. 6, 2022, Timberlake requested and received a video depicting a victim between 4 and 6 years old being sexually abused by two adult males. That file and numerous other CSAM files were found on Timberlake’s electronic devices. Timberlake is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 26 and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison. Case No. 3:26-cr-26

Trial

On April 23, a federal jury convicted registered sex offender Richard Scott Tyson of sexually exploiting two minors. Tyson, 57, of Gum Spring, was convicted in 2002 of rape involving a child, for which he received a 99-year prison sentence with 86 years suspended. Between 2021 and 2023, Tyson enticed the minors with gifts and trips to hotels, resorts, and amusement parks. During these activities and trips, as well as at Tyson’s home, Tyson engaged in sexual relations with one of the victims and took pictures of both minor victims while they were nude or mostly undressed and posed in sexualized positions in exchange for money. Tyson faces a mandatory minimum of 35 years and up to life in prison when sentenced on July 29. Case No. 3:24-cr-34

Sentencing

Yahmir Deshawn Kawante Hamlet, 25, of Hampton, was sentenced on April 14 to 20 years in prison for coercing minors to produce CSAM. On Dec. 6, 2023, FBI investigators searched Hamlet’s residence and seized devices containing 425 image files and 122 video files of CSAM, including infants and toddlers, masochism, and bestiality. The devices also included sexually explicit conversations between Hamlet and two minors, whom Hamlet paid for sexually explicit images and videos. Case No. 4:25-cr-36

On April 16, Jorge Antonio Escobar, 50, a Colombian national residing in Virginia, was sentenced to eight years in prison for receipt of CSAM. Escobar downloaded and saved images and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including depictions of prepubescent minors. Case No. 1:25-cr-283

On April 22, Michael Logan Bourne, 55, of Chantilly, was sentenced to 27 years in prison following his conviction for sexually exploiting minors he targeted online. From February 2022 to April 2023, Bourne used an anonymous Google account to sexually exploit at least six girls to whom he referred as his “slaves,” and persuaded them to “serve” and “please” him by engaging in sexually explicit conduct on live webcams. Bourne received child sexual abuse material from two of his victims. Case No. 1:25-cr-218

On April 23, Dominic Nathaniel Torres, 23, a U.S. Navy sailor stationed in Norfolk, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sex and the coercion of seven other minor victims. Torres strategically targeted middle and high school age girls through social media, then bypassed the security protocols of age restricted social media communities by presenting himself as a minor and using younger photos. Torres requested and received sexually explicit images and videos from minor victims and sent the minors sexually graphic photos and videos of himself. In 2024, Torres travelled to a minor victim’s neighborhood, picked her up near her home, and engaged in sex with her on two separate occasions. Case No. 2:25-cr-10

On April 28, Anthony George Ruggiero, 42, of Gloucester, was sentenced to life in prison following his conviction for sexually abusing a foreign exchange student and receiving child sexual abuse material. In 2021 and 2022, Ruggiero sexually abused and exploited the student while his family hosted her in their home. Ruggiero continued to engage in sexually explicit messages with the student after she returned to her home country, including requesting sexually explicit photos and offering her sexually explicit photos. A federal jury convicted Ruggiero on Nov. 20, 2025. Case No. 4:24-cr-39

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Indictments are merely accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.