Repeat Colorado sex offender sentenced for distributing child sexual abuse material on dark web

DENVER ( KDVR ) — A Denver man was sentenced to 35 years in prison, along with a lifetime of supervised release , for distributing child sexual abuse material and being involved with a "dark web" site dedicated to the same material.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado, registered sex offender Christopher Carl Meier, 41, became a member of a dark website dedicated to child sexual abuse material depicting boys and discussing sexual abuse of juvenile boys while he was still on parole for a 2013 conviction in Colorado for sexual exploitation of a child.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, "dark web" refers to portions of the internet that cannot be accessed through standard internet browsers. Instead, specific software or authorizations are required to reach the sites. The U.S. DOJ said while some dark web sites are used for legitimate purposes, others are used for criminal activity such as drug trafficking, child sexual abuse, malware or other illicit activities.

He pleaded guilty on July 9 to conspiracy to distribute child sexual abuse materials and five counts of distribution of such materials. On Wednesday, a judge sentenced him to 35 years.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Meier was a website member for over 18 months, making over 600 posts on the website during that time. Meier was accused of advertising and distributing images and videos of juvenile boys engaged in sexual conduct.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is aware of at least 65 victims of Meier's actions, the USAO reported.