Athens man gets 30-year sentence for sexually exploiting a child

ATHENS – from a Project Safe Childhood investigation.

Chris Adam Valentine, 37, was sentenced to serve 360 months in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release and $90,000 restitution by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self III. In addition, Valentine will have to register as a sex offender upon release from prison. Valentine previously pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Our office is determined to identify and remove child predators from our communities and hold them fully accountable for their heinous crimes,” U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary said in a news release. “Protecting the most vulnerable citizens from harm is a priority for law enforcement at every level.”

“Thanks to the diligent efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and its law enforcement partners, this predator will now spend three decades behind bars for his appalling actions,” Steven N. Schrank, the special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations Atlanta, which covers Georgia and Alabama, said. “This investigation underscores our commitment to protecting vulnerable individuals and pursuing justice for those who seek to exploit and harm children.”

“Cases like these exemplify the value of partnerships between local, state and federal agencies,” Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Saulters said. “These heinous crimes will not be tolerated in our community. We will continue to work with our partners to protect the children of this community and will pursue those who prey on them.”

According to the plea agreement, Valentine admitted that between Jan. 1, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2022, he used his cellular phone to film a 7-year-old child engage in sexual conduct with an adult male.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Peach prosecuted the case for the government.