A Virginia Beach, Virginia, man today admitted possessing images and videos of child sexual abuse while imprisoned at Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix for a previous offense involving the transportation of child [censored]ography, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Christopher D. Roffler, 30, pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez in Camden federal court to an information charging him with one count of possession of child [censored]ography.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Roffler admitted that he possessed a micro SD Card containing 305 videos and 16 images of child [censored]ography, including depictions of sexual abuse of pre-pubescent children and sadistic and masochistic conduct. In connection with his plea, Roffler also admitted that he used a cellular telephone inside the prison to obtain and possess child [censored]ography and that he transferred a micro SD card containing child [censored]ography to another inmate.
Roffler and seven other inmates were arrested in April 2017 and February 2018 following an FBI investigation involving multiple covert recordings and several cooperating inmates. The investigation revealed that Roffler and other inmates utilized contraband cellphones, micro SD cards, and access to the internet to obtain, view, and distribute child [censored]ography within the prison. A co-defendant organized and helped facilitate this criminal activity by maintaining cloud accounts that were used as repositories for child [censored]ography.
At sentencing, Roffler faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 12, 2018.
Four other inmates – Anthony C. Jeffries, 32, of Orange, Virginia, Jordan T. Allen, 31, of Plain City, Ohio, Brian J. McKay, 47, of Brookhaven, Pennsylvania, and Jacob S. Good, 26, of Fredericksburg, Virginia – have also pleaded guilty to possession of child [censored]ography and await sentencing.
A fifth inmate, Erik M. Smith, 36, of Iron Mountain, Michigan pleaded guilty to the same charge and was sentenced on May 7, 2018 to an additional 151 months in prison.
Charges remain pending against William H. Noble, 52, of Lowell, Massachusetts, and Charles Wesley Bush, 38, of Knoxville, Tennessee, both of whom were serving sentences for prior child [censored]ography offenses while committing the alleged crimes in this case. The pending charges and allegations against them are merely accusations, and these defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, with the investigation. He also thanked officials of the Bureau of Prisons at Federal Correctional Institution Fort Dix for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gabriel J. Vidoni and Alyson M. Oswald of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division in Camden.