After a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigation, a Maryland man pleaded guilty to making, distributing, and possessing child sexual abuse material and was sentenced to 30 years in prison and lifetime supervised release.
According to the news release issued on July 1, Mark Rice, 38, was sentenced to 30 years in prison and lifetime supervised release for creating and disseminating child sexual abuse materials as a result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy of ICE Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore noted that this sentence serves as a stark message that those who take advantage of and abuse children will face harsh consequences. Predators who produce and disseminate content that depicts child sexual abuse have no place in society. These crimes destroy lives, and HSI will never falter in our resolve to hold those responsible for these heinous crimes accountable in order to bring justice to the victims. To guarantee the most severe legal repercussions, we will keep collaborating with our partners.
Rice had already entered a guilty plea to one count of making, one count of distributing, and one count of having child sexual assault material. Rice is accused of sexually abusing two youngsters under his supervision and of soliciting and disseminating child sexual abuse content on social internet.
In accordance with his plea deal, Rice created photographic proof of the abuse and exploited his position of power to sexually assault a minor starting when she was under three years old. He also used covert photography to take advantage of a second minor. Rice took an active part in online forums devoted to exchanging content about child sexual assault. He obtained content showing other youngsters and shared pictures of his victims on websites like Reddit, Telegram, and Kik.
Reddit sent a CyberTip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in April 2023 about the spread of content about child sexual abuse. Investigators linked the tip to an IP address connected to Rice’s home in Elkton.
Although Rice denied the charge in an interview with the Maryland State Police, he was seen erasing pictures from his phone. Investigators discovered evidence of child sexual abuse in a thumbnail photograph on Rice’s phone when he gave it to cops. Authorities discovered further material in his previously erased folder after conducting a more thorough check.
Then, over 600 photographs of child sexual abuse were found on Rice’s devices by HSI Baltimore special agents. Additionally, investigators discovered that Rice used encrypted chat services to interact with members of a public Reddit forum with whom he exchanged child sexual assault content.
The indictment was announced by Maryland State Police Superintendent Roland L. Butler Jr., McCarthy, and U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland.
