CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A man accused of using social media to lure a Union County teen away from her home before they were found in Missouri in October 2023 has been indicted by a federal grand jury, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Christopher Porter was indicted for production of child pornography and committing a qualifying felony offense involving a minor while being required to register as a sex offender, the Justice Department said. Porter was arrested in October 2023 in Kirkwood, Missouri, with a 16-year-old Union County girl he met on social media.
Investigators allege that Porter told them he met the girl on social media apps and convinced her to run away from home. Porter, who is facing numerous charges in connection with the girl's abduction, is accused of taking advantage of the victim's comments about stress and wanting to run away from home.
The indictment alleges that Porter produced child pornography between May 28, 2023 and Sept. 6, 2023. He is currently in custody in Missouri and will be extradited to North Carolina to appear in court on federal charges.
Each of the three counts of production of child pornography carries a minimum prison sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years. If Porter has any prior convictions related to sexual abuse or sexual contact involving a minor, those charges will carry a minimum sentence of 30 years with a maximum of 50 years in prison.
Angeline Hartman with the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children said with the rise of social media, stories like these are becoming more common.
There’s definitely been an increase," Hartman said. "We’ve seen the number of online incitement reports double in one year from 2021 to 2022.”
Note: WCNC instituted a policy in March 2021 regarding the broadcast or posting of mugshots.
WCNC will only air or post a mugshot if the person has been formally charged with a crime and in a few other cases. The exceptions include: If it appears the person could be a danger to themselves or others or if they are wanted by authorities; to differentiate between people with a common name; if the photos could encourage more victims to come forward. The news-editorial leadership may also decide to use a mugshot based on the severity of the crime(s) committed and/or the level of public interest in the crime and ensuing criminal proceedings.
WCNC Charlotte is choosing to show the mugshot of the suspect in this case due to the serious nature of his charges and public interest in the case.