PIKEVILLE, Ky. – A South Carolina man, Jonathan Edward Manigault, 36, was sentenced on Monday to 480 months in federal prison by US District Judge Karen Caldwell on a child pornography charge and an intentional charge of receiving child pornography. .
Manigault admitted that he directed Christina B. Mitchell, of Pike County, to take pictures of a 3-year-old victim involved in sexually explicit conduct. Manigault provided Mitchell with specific and detailed instructions on what types of explicit photographs to produce and provide to him. According to the plea agreement, Mitchell transmitted the photos to Manigault using the Facebook Messenger app. After that, Manigault got Mitchell to agree to produce additional images of an underage victim.
Manigault pleaded guilty in September 2020.
Mitchell pleaded guilty on August 26, 2019, to two counts of producing child pornography. According to his plea agreement, Mitchell produced sexually explicit images of a 3 and 8-year-old victim. Mitchell was sentenced to 420 months in federal prison in February 2020.
Under federal law, Manigault and Mitchell are expected to serve 85 percent of their prison sentences. Manigault will be under the supervision of the US Probation Office for 15 years after his release.
“One of the greatest responsibilities of law enforcement is to protect children from sexual exploitation, abuse and the harm it does,” said Carlton S. Shier, IV, acting US Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “As this case shows, there are some who attack surprisingly vulnerable victims. Therefore, we will continue to do our part to ensure that these offenders are identified, prosecuted and punished. The negligible conduct in this case justifies our efforts and certainly justifies the punishments that the Court imposed. “
“There is no place in our society for criminals who attack our most precious and vulnerable children,” said James Robert Brown, Jr., Special Responsible Agent, FBI, Louisville Field Office. “The sentences administered today are a direct reflection of a criminal justice system that will not tolerate such despicable behavior. The FBI and all of our law enforcement partners are ready to use all of our available resources to protect our youngest citizens. “
Shier, United States acting attorney; SAC Brown, FBI, Louisville Field Office; and Chief Chris Edmonds of the Pikeville Police Department jointly announced the sentences.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Louisville Field Office, the FBI Columbia Field Office and the Pikeville Police Department. The US Attorney’s Office was represented by Assistant US Attorney Jenna E. Reed.
This case was presented as part of the Safe Childhood Project, a national initiative to combat the growing epidemic of sexual exploitation and child abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by US law firms and the Criminal Section for Child Exploitation and Obscenity (CEOS), the Safe Childhood Project mobilizes federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children over the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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