South Carolina – A former U.S. Army soldier has been sentenced to more than seven years in federal prison after admitting to possessing child se*ual abuse material, following an investigation that began while he was stationed in Colorado and continued after his transfer to South Carolina.
According to the Department of Justice, M. Valkinburg, 35, of Colorado, was serving in the military when the criminal activity occurred. Investigators determined that in 2023, while he was assigned to a post in Colorado, Valkinburg began uploading child se*ual abuse material to an online Discord account.
Local authorities traced multiple accounts distributing the illegal content back to him, prompting a broader investigation into his activities.
Before the case concluded, Valkinburg was transferred by the Army in South Carolina. After the move, Army investigators sought and obtained a federal search warrant for his residence on the installation.
Read also: Lawmakers cave to conspiracy fears, South Carolina set to follow Florida and Tennessee laws
When the warrant was executed, investigators uncovered child se*ual abuse material on several electronic devices inside the home. Among the items seized was Valkinburg’s personal cell phone, which contained additional illegal content tied to the earlier findings in Colorado.
The evidence collected during the searches ultimately led to federal charges. Valkinburg pleaded guilty to possessing child se*ual abuse material, bringing the case to a close in U.S. District Court.
United States District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie sentenced Valkinburg to 87 months in federal prison. After completing his prison term, he will be subject to 25 years of court-ordered supervision.
Federal authorities noted that parole is not available in the federal system, meaning the prison sentence must be served in full. In addition, Valkinburg was ordered to pay $124,000 in restitution and is required to register as a se* offender for the rest of his life.
The case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2006 to combat child se*ual exploitation and abuse. The program brings together federal, state, and local agencies to identify offenders, prosecute crimes involving the se*ual abuse of children, and work to locate and support victims.
The investigation was conducted by the Army Criminal Investigation Division, which coordinated with other law enforcement agencies as the case progressed across state lines. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Matthews and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Beckham.
Federal officials emphasized that the sentence reflects the seriousness of the offense and the long-term harm caused by crimes involving the se*ual exploitation of children.
