A 41-year-old Knoxville man used a fake identity, a fake photo and Facebook Messenger to persuade two 14-year-old girls in two states to send him pornographic selfies, court records allege.
Christopher Anthony Burkett is charged in a five-count federal child pornography indictment unsealed in U.S. District Court last week.
It is the first child pornography case in East Tennessee and the second in the state to derive solely from distribution via Facebook. As such, it opens up yet another front for Knoxville’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force in the battle against the sexual exploitation of minors and a new fear for parents.
Before the Internet age, child pornography purveyors used the mail to distribute photographs and videos of the sexual abuse of babies, toddlers and young adolescents. The Internet brought peer-to-peer sharing networks in which child pornography could be bought, sold and traded. Smartphones led to child pornography distribution via text messages.
Now, child pornographers are turning to Facebook Messenger, Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Morris noted at a hearing this week.
ICAC Investigator John Williams testified at Tuesday’s hearing Burkett had been accused of — but never charged with — “inappropriate sexual behavior” with his own children.
In 2014, Burkett was living with his mother when he created a Facebook page purporting to be an attractive 19-year-old man and began using the profile to troll for underage girls, testimony showed.
He would use Facebook’s messenger feature to engage girls in online relationships, Williams said. He eventually persuaded at least two 14-year-old girls — one in North Carolina and another in Minnesota — to send him pornographic selfies, the investigator testified.
Burkett allegedly ordered up specific poses and sexual acts and would send one of the girl’s photos to the other as examples of the images he sought. Williams said Burkett’s next planned move was to persuade the girls to meet with him in person.
Earlier this year, however, the parents of the North Carolina girl grew concerned about her budding online relationship with the supposed 19-year-old Facebook friend and alerted local authorities. Williams said ICAC was asked to launch an investigation.
The task force identified Burkett as a suspect and seized his iPhone and computer. U.S. Magistrate Clifford Shirley wrote in an order that did not stop Burkett.
“(Burkett) allegedly continued to access Facebook Messenger after he was made aware of the current charges and subsequent to the seizure of his I-Phone and computer,” Shirley wrote.
Assistant Federal Defender Benjamin Sharp tried Tuesday to persuade Shirley to let Burkett go free pending his Aug. 11 trial. Shirley refused.
“The risk of (Burkett) continuing in such alleged behavior causes a grave danger to the community,” Shirley wrote.