Warren Man Indicted, Arraigned for Allegedly Producing, Distributing and Receiving Child Pornography, Enticing a Minor

PROVIDENCE, RI – A Warren man previously charged by way of a federal criminal complaint with enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity and child pornography charges was arrested this morning and arraigned on a six-count federal grand jury indictment returned yesterday charging him with two counts of production of child pornography, and one count each of distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography, and enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity.

Christopher Kinney, 43, who first appeared in federal court on April 27 on the criminal complaint and was released on unsecured bond, today was ordered detained at his arraignment by U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Patricia A. Sullivan.

The indictment of Christopher Kinney is announced by United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel Ann C. Assumpico, and Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Michael S. Shea.

It is alleged in court documents that beginning on April 16, 2018, Kinney had a series of online communications with a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. It is alleged that he described his desire to meet with the teenager at a local mall where he would dress her in a diaper and, after walking her around the mall, would engage in illicit sexual activity with her in the mall or elsewhere. The person he was actually communicating with and with whom he arranged to meet with was a Rhode Island State Police Detective assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.

Kinney was initially arrested at the mall on April 26. Inside of Kinney’s car law enforcement discovered, among other items, a diaper bag containing several diapers, a pacifier and baby bottle, condoms, candy and a canister of children’s bubble fluid. Seized from Kinney’s pocket was an Apple iPhone on which it is alleged in court documents that investigators identified at least fifty-six images of child pornography. In addition, investigators identified numerous times where Kinney allegedly shared and received images of child pornography. Investigators also identified numerous files of children allegedly being harshly punished and/or beaten.

Since Kinney’s initial arrest, a continuing investigation by HSI agents and members of the ICAC Task Force determined that between January 2011 and December 2013, Kinney allegedly used two minor children to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography, some of which he distributed to others.

An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

If convicted as charged in the federal indictment, Kinney faces statutory penalties of a mandatory minimum of 15 years up to 30 years imprisonment, mandatory special assessments of $5,100 and a fine of up to $250,000 on each charge of production of child pornography; a mandatory minimum of 10 years up to life imprisonment, mandatory special assessments of $5,100 and a fine of up to $250,000 on the charge of enticement of a minor to engage in prohibited sexual activity; a mandatory minimum of 5 years up to 20 years imprisonment, mandatory special assessments of $5,100 and a fine of up to $250,000 on the charges of distribution of child pornography and receipt of child pornography; and up to 20 years imprisonment, mandatory special assessments of $5,100 and a fine of up to $250,000 on the charge of possession of child pornography.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald R. Gendron.

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