Federal Jury Convicts Antioch Man of Child Pornography Charges

Christopher N. Bonick, 31, of Antioch, Tennessee, was found guilty by a federal jury yesterday of attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity and possession of child pornography, announced David Rivera, United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. The jury returned a guilty verdict following a 2-day trial before U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger.

Evidence produced at trial showed that, in July of 2010 Bonick began communicating online with an individual he initially believed to be a 13 year old girl. On July 27, 2011, Bonick engaged in a lengthy sexually explicit chat with this person, who, unknown to him, was actually an undercover investigator in Louisiana. Bonick, who believed the individual to be 14 years old, asked her if she would be willing to engage in sexual activity with him. He also discussed having previously met a 15 year- old girl online and had traveled to have sex with her.

The evidence at trial also showed that Bonick had previously communicated with numerous minors online, had solicited child pornography from them, and had traded child pornography with other individuals via email.  Bonick was in possession of dozens of images of child pornography when a search warrant was served at his home in Antioch in January 2012 at which time he admitted that he was sexually attracted to minors.

Bonick will be sentenced by Judge Aleta Trauger on July 11, 2016, at 2:00 p.m.  He faces 10 years to life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

The case was investigated by the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and the Louisiana Department of Justice-Cyber Crime Unit.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carrie Daughtrey and Henry Leventis.