Clackamas County Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Exploiting and Extorting Three Canadian Children Online

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Clackamas County, Oregon man was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison today for using social media to stalk three Canadian children online and coerce them into producing and sharing sexually explicit photos and videos of themselves.

Kevin Robert McCarty, 37, of Happy Valley, Oregon, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison and a life term of supervised release.

According to court documents, in September 2021, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents in Portland and Vancouver, Canada began investigating an individual later determined to be McCarty for exploiting young children online. Beginning in July 2020 and continuing until November 2021, McCarty, who went by the alias “Robbie MacKenzie” online, used various social media platforms, including Snapchat and Instagram, to coerce three Canadian children into producing and sending him sexually explicit photos and videos of themselves.

Once the children sent McCarty photos or videos, he demanded more. If the children refused, McCarty threatened to send the photos and videos he had already obtained to the minor victims’ friends and families, which he did on several occasions. On at least two occasions, McCarty told his victims they could either comply with his demands or commit suicide.

On November 16, 2021, McCarty was charged by criminal complaint with sexually exploiting children, distributing child pornography, cyberstalking, enticing a child online, and transferring obscene material to a minor. On November 18, 2021, HSI agents served a search warrant at the Happy Valley residence McCarty shared with his mother, sister, and sister’s family. After learning McCarty was visiting a cousin in Riverside, California, agents located and arrested McCarty in Riverside the same day.

On February 15, 2023, McCarty waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a felony information charging him with one count of enticing a minor online and two counts of sexually exploiting children.

This case was investigated by HSI with assistance from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It was prosecuted by Gary Y. Sussman, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.

Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, they re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.

This case was brought as 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.