Maryland and Alabama Men Sentenced to a Combined 64 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Traffic Child Sexual Abuse Material
Wednesday, March 18, 2026 - A Maryland man was sentenced yesterday to 40 years in prison followed by 20 years of supervised release for his involvement with a website dedicated to child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Sean Edward Young, 47, of Rockville, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise and to distribute child pornography on Sept. 24, 2025. According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, Young was a high-ranking member of a website dedicated to CSAM and discussions of child sexual abuse. He advertised and distributed CSAM on this website, counseled other users on how to avoid law enforcement, and bragged about having sexually abused children in the past.
Young’s sentencing follows the earlier sentencing of co-defendant and co-conspirator Jacob Parker, 49, of Auburn, Alabama. On Jan. 15 Parker was sentenced to more than 24 years in prison, having previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to advertise child pornography. According to court documents, Parker, like Young, was a high-level moderator of the same website and spent time and effort managing it and sharing CSAM with fellow users.
“Sean Young and Jacob Parker were part of an online community of offenders who came together to share, discuss, and celebrate depictions of child sexual abuse,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Both made every effort to use technology to hide from law enforcement, but they could not. People who prey on our children will pay a heavy price by losing their liberty with the imposition of significant incarcerative sentences like these.”
“The exploitation of children through the distribution of child sexual abuse material is a disturbing crime that causes lasting harm to its victims,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson for the Middle District of Alabama. “Those who participate in online networks that advertise and distribute this material will be identified, prosecuted, and held accountable. Our office remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to protect children and bring offenders to justice.”
“It is unconscionable for someone to advertise and brag about sexually abusing children,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “We must bring depraved people like Young and his co-conspirators to justice and ensure that they lose their freedom for a very long time. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland will always stand ready to assist our partners to ensure that all predators are met with the full force of the law.”
“Child predators victimize the most vulnerable and innocent members of our society, their families, and their communities,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “Young’s role as a high-ranking member of a website dedicated to CSAM and his purposeful actions to conceal his activities and advise others how to avoid law enforcement makes him amongst the worst offenders. Now he will serve time for what he has done. Along with The Department of Justice and our federal, state, and local partners, the FBI is fully committed to identifying individuals who exploit children and bringing them to justice as quickly as possible.”
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit investigated the case along with the FBI’s Auburn Resident Agency and Baltimore field office. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Cyber Division and the Auburn Police Department.
Acting Deputy Chief Kyle P. Reynolds of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara S. Ratz and J. Patrick Lamb of the Middle District of Alabama prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan McKoy of the District of Maryland provided valuable assistance.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood 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, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
U.S. Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs
Source: Justice.gov
