A Silver Spring man has been sentenced to decades in federal prison for a large-scale child sexual exploitation scheme that targeted victims across multiple countries.
U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Chase William Mulligan, 28, to 50 years in federal prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, after he pleaded guilty to two counts of producing child sexual abuse material. The sentence was announced Tuesday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
According to federal prosecutors, Mulligan used social media platforms and online chat services to target young girls, coercing them into sending sexually explicit images and videos. Authorities say the scheme involved at least 108 victims between the ages of 5 and 17. When victims attempted to stop communicating with him, Mulligan threatened to distribute the images publicly or come to their homes.
Court documents state that between 2019 and December 2023, Mulligan used multiple accounts across platforms including Snapchat, Discord, Roblox, Skype, Omegle, and Instagram to contact minors. Victims were located in the United States and abroad, including Canada, Denmark, Spain, the Philippines, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
Prosecutors said Mulligan repeatedly escalated his demands and used threats to pressure victims into continued compliance. The investigation ultimately led to federal charges related to the production of child sexual abuse material.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes alongside the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office. The case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative focused on identifying, rescuing, and protecting victims of child exploitation and holding offenders accountable. A mugshot was not provided in the press release.
