Repeat Child Sex Offender Sentenced To 14 Years In Prison For Possession Of Child Pornography

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – A repeat child sex offender who used a social media site to solicit sexually explicit images from a boy was sentenced Monday to 14 years in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.

Christopher Phernambucq, aka “Christopher Phernambuco,” 37, of California, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography. In addition to the incarceration, U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan sentenced him to a lifetime of supervised release. Under the Sex Offender Registration Notification Act, he will be required to register as a sex offender.

According to admissions in Phernambucq’s guilty plea, from July 2016 to December 2016, he posed as a successful businessman on a social media site under the false name “Alex Carrasco.” Phernambucq offered to pay children for services related to modeling or music and solicited photos, offered to buy electronics, and discussed his desire to engage in sexual activities with the children. Between August 2016 and December 2016, he exchanged messages and sexually explicit images with a 16-year-old boy through the social media site. The criminal conduct occurred shortly after he was released from California state custody.

Phernambucq has prior California convictions for aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, abusive sexual conduct involving a minor, or the production, possession, receipt, mailing, sale, distribution, shipment, or transportation of child pornography. His prior convictions qualified him for additional criminal penalties.

The case was investigated by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force and the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tony Lopez and Elham Roohani prosecuted the case.

To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt, or production of child pornography, contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children by phone at 1-800-843-5678 or online at www.cybertipline.com.

This case was brought as part of 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 Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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