Texas Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing and Exploiting Children

TOLEDO, Ohio – A Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in sexually abusing minors in Ohio.

Christopher Hagerman, 50, of McDade, Texas, has been sentenced to 360 months (30 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey J. Helmick after pleading guilty in June to:• Conspiracy to Produce Child Pornography• Sexual Exploitation of a MinorHagerman was also ordered to serve a lifetime supervised release after imprisonment and pay $5,000 toward the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, which was established in 2015 to provide justice for victims of trafficking.

Two co-defendants were previously sentenced for their roles in the abuse: Chaz Jacob, 36, of Toledo, and Hagerman’s wife Amy Fountain, 51, also of McDade, Texas. Jacob was sentenced to 420 months (35 years) in prison for Conspiracy to Produce Child Pornography, two counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, and Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography. He was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release and pay a combined $75,000 in restitution to 25 victims.

Fountain was sentenced to 262 months (21.83 years) in prison for Conspiracy to Produce Child Pornography and Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. She was ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment.

According to court documents, federal agents were investigating the suspected sexual abuse of a minor victim in Toledo and Jacob was subsequently identified. During a search warrant executed at his residence, several of his electronic devices were seized. Forensic analysis of these electronic devices revealed videos that Jacob recorded of himself while he sexually abused several minors. Other videos found on the devices depicted Hagerman and his wife sexually abusing two minors under the age of 12 at Jacob’s residence.

The investigation leading to the indictment was led by Homeland Security Investigations and the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Assistant United States Attorneys Sara Al-Sorghali and Frank Spryszak led the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/PSC.

To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.