Summerville, WVA Man Indicted for Attempted Coercion of a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity

PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Summersville, West Virginia, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor to Engage in Illegal Sexual Activityplain language statement of offense described in indictment or generic description such as violating various federal laws or violating various federal narcotics laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.

The one-count Indictment named Christopher Mills, 38, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, Mills attempted to coerce and entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. Specifically, from May 2022 until July 2022, Mills did use a facility and means of interstate commerce, specifically the Internet and a cellular telephone network, to knowingly attempt to persuade, induce, entice or coerce an individual who had not attained the age of 18 years to engage in sexual activity.

After chatting with an undercover agent posing as a 13-year-old child for weeks on his cell phone and over the internet in an effort to entice the purported child to have sex, Mills traveled from his home in West Virginia to the Pittsburgh area to meet the purported child to engage in sexual activity.  Mills went so far as to bring contraception and lingerie for the anticipated sexual encounter with a child.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of life imprisonment, a fine of not more than $250,000 or both.  Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense(s) and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.  Indicate relevant bond/detention information if known

Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

An Indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.