Elkton man convicted of child exploitation gets 30-year prison sentence following ICE Baltimore investigation

BALTIMORE — An investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement led to the sentencing of Mark Rice, 38, to 30 years in prison followed by lifetime supervised release, for producing and distributing child sexual abuse material.

“This sentencing is a powerful reminder that those who exploit and abuse children will be relentlessly pursued and held accountable,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy. “There is no place in society for predators who create and distribute child sexual abuse material. These crimes shatter lives, and HSI will never waver in our mission to bring justice to victims by targeting those who commit these horrific acts. We will continue to work with our partners to ensure the strongest possible consequences under the law.”

Rice previously pled guilty to one count of producing child sexual abuse material, one count of distributing child sexual abuse material and one count of possessing child sexual abuse material. These charges stem from Rice sexually abusing two minors in his care while using social media to distribute and solicit child sexual abuse material.

According to his plea agreement, Rice used his position of authority to sexually abuse a minor — beginning when she was less than 3 years old — as he created photographic evidence of the abuse. He also exploited a second minor through surreptitious photography. Rice actively participated in online communities dedicated to trading child sexual abuse material. He used platforms such as Reddit, Telegram and Kik to distribute images of his victims and obtain material depicting other children.

In April 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip from Reddit regarding the transmission of child sexual abuse material. Authorities traced the tip to an IP address associated with Rice’s Elkton residence.

During a Maryland State Police interview, Rice denied the accusation but was observed deleting photos from his phone. When Rice showed officers his phone, investigators spotted child sexual abuse material in a thumbnail image. Through a deeper search, authorities uncovered additional material in his recently deleted folder.

Then, HSI Baltimore special agents discovered more than 600 child sexual abuse material images across Rice’s devices. Investigators also found that Rice used a public Reddit community to connect with people that he traded child sexual abuse material with using encrypted messaging platforms.

McCarthy, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Kelly O. Hayes and Maryland State Police Superintendent Roland L. Butler Jr. announced the indictment.

Members of the public with information about criminal activity should contact the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423).

Learn more about HSI Baltimore’s mission to increase public safety in our Maryland communities on X at @HSIBaltimore.

Source: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE.gov)