JBER Airman charged with distributing, possessing child pornography

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A U.S. Air Force Airman stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) was arrested last Thursday after a federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging him with distributing and possessing child sexual abuse materials (CSAM).

According to court documents, in August 2024, Caleb French, 27, was reported to the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) by an individual who claimed French wanted to commit sexual assaults against minors. AFOSI executed a search warrant on French's residence and recovered multiple digital devices allegedly containing over a thousand images and videos depicting child sexual abuse. Law enforcement discovered that French also allegedly sent the reporting individual a link to a video depicting CSAM that same month.

Court documents further allege that French surreptitiously took photos and videos of children in public throughout the community. It's alleged that French intended to use the visuals to produce artificial intelligence generated CSAM.

French is charged with one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. The defendant made his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew M. Scoble of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department are investigating this case as part of the FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, with significant assistance from AFOSI.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mac Caille Petursson is prosecuting the case.

If anyone has information concerning French's alleged actions, please contact the FBI Anchorage Field Office at (907) 276-4441 or anonymously at tips.fbi.gov.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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