May 25, 2021 - SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal indictment was unsealed today charging Randy Edward Martin, 38, of Roseville, with distribution and possession of child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Martin distributed child pornography between July 6, 2020, and Sept. 14, 2020, using the Kik Messenger app. Martin used a smartphone, the internet, and Kik Messenger to distribute videos depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct to a person in Oregon. Further, between July 6, 2020 and April 6, 2021, Martin knowingly possessed visual depictions of children engaging in sexually explicit conduct on his smartphone.

This case is the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Audrey B. Hemesath and Denise N. Yasinow are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Martin faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and potentially a lifetime of supervised release. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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 the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.

Source: DOJ Release