COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Westerville man pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court to federal sextortion and child exploitation charges after prosecutors said he coerced minors he met on social media into sending sexually explicit images, then used the images to threaten and harass them.
Christian N. Davidson, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts of transmitting interstate communications with intent to extort, two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
According to court documents, Davidson carried out a sextortion campaign in 2024 and 2025 that targeted multiple minor victims he contacted through platforms including TikTok and Snapchat. He threatened to expose sexually explicit images of victims and to harm them and their family members, and in some cases posted the sexual content online, the release said.
In one case outlined in court documents, Davidson added a minor victim on TikTok in August 2024 and told her he had information about her drinking and drug use that he would reveal to her parents unless she joined a video call with him. During the call, he captured explicit screenshots of the victim. When she refused further demands, Davidson created TikTok accounts using her name and the sexual images, according to the release.
In another instance detailed in court filings, Davidson attempted in 2018 and 2019 to extort a different victim he had added on Snapchat, demanding explicit images and continuing to harass her through newly created accounts after she blocked him, authorities said. He also discussed personal details about the victim, including her home address and her father’s death.
When the victim told Davidson she had reported him to police, he responded, in part: “If you wanted me to leave you alone you would give me what I want…police can’t do sh**. IP address isn’t traceable. Hacked it dumb***. But just to let you know. You f***** up doing that…”
The FBI opened an investigation into Davidson based on information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the Marysville, Worthington and East Liverpool police departments, the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center and the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, according to the release. Davidson was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in October 2025.
Sexual exploitation of a minor carries a minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, while possession of child pornography is punishable by up to 20 years. Transmitting interstate communications with intent to extort carries a potential sentence of up to two years. Davidson’s plea agreement includes a recommended sentence of 25 to 40 years in prison, with sentencing to be determined by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus Jr.
U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II and FBI Cincinnati Division Special Agent in Charge Jason Cromartie announced the guilty plea. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in the case, which is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to combat child sexual exploitation.
Suspects are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The information contained in this story was obtained from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
