In one of the most troubling child exploitation cases seen in Colorado in recent years, a Fort Collins man has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor over several years—and recording the abuse.
The case, brought forward through a federal investigation, has sparked renewed focus on the disturbing reach of online exploitation networks and the importance of continued efforts to protect vulnerable children.
Shocking Amounts of Abuse Material Discovered
Wesley Chambers, 34, admitted to not only abusing a minor repeatedly but also filming the horrific acts.
When authorities examined his phone, they uncovered more than 200 explicit images and videos involving the victim.
Even more horrifying, investigators found over 20,000 images and 2,500 videos depicting other children being sexually exploited—material that Chambers had obtained from various sources.
Guilty Plea and Deep Ties to the Dark Web
Chambers pleaded guilty to two counts of sexually exploiting a child and one count of possessing material showing the sexual abuse of minors.
But his crimes didn’t stop there. As part of his plea agreement, he admitted to actively searching for and accessing child pornography on the dark web, including so-called “hurtcore” websites—platforms known for broadcasting extremely violent and sadistic content involving children.
Sentencing Ahead: Up to 70 Years in Prison Possible
Chambers is scheduled to be sentenced on October 22. Under federal law, he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and could serve as many as 70 years in prison.
The final decision will be made by a federal district court judge, who will take into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors before issuing a sentence.
Authorities Respond to Heinous Acts
Officials from the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI emphasized the severity of the case in their announcement.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti, U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly, and senior FBI leaders all affirmed the importance of holding child predators fully accountable.
The investigation was carried out by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit and the FBI Denver Field Office.
Case Prosecuted Under Project Safe Childhood
This prosecution was part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Justice Department in 2006 to crack down on child exploitation, especially online.
The program combines efforts across federal, state, and local agencies to identify abusers, locate victims, and bring justice.
Prosecutors Rachel L. Rothberg from the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Alecia L.
Riewerts from the District of Colorado are leading the case.
For those interested in learning more about this nationwide initiative to protect children, additional information is available at justice.gov/psc.