Registered sex offender pleads guilty to possessing child pornography of infants, toddlers

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A repeat sex offender faces 10 to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty today in U.S. District Court to a child pornography crime.

Alan Martina, 37, of Columbus, admitted to possessing child sexual abuse material of infants and toddlers.

According to court documents, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a cyber tipline report from Kik regarding the uploading of child pornography from Martina's account.

In September 2025, law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at Martina's residence and seized six electronic devices. A forensic examination of the devices revealed more than 170 videos and 215 images of child sexual abuse.

Martina used the apps Session and Teleguard to discuss and trade child pornography with other users. Some of his messages in response to receiving images and videos of infants and toddlers being sexually abused include: "Mmmmmmm I want to hear her cry and scream…" and "Mmmmmmm yes abuse and rape her and let me watch."

The defendant was charged by criminal complaint in October 2025. Martina was previously convicted in Franklin County of pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor and is a registered sex offender.

Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.

Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and other members of the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the guilty plea offered today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney's Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.

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