MoCo Man Sentenced to 50 Years for 'Sextortion' of Over 100 Girls

Chase William Mulligan coerced minors as young as 5 to send sexually explicit content, authorities say.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Chase William Mulligan, a 28-year-old man from Silver Spring, Maryland, was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison for coercing more than 100 girls between the ages of 5 and 17 to send him sexually explicit images and videos. Mulligan pleaded guilty to two counts of producing child sexual abuse materials and will also face 25 years of supervised release after his prison sentence.

Why it matters

This case highlights the growing problem of 'sextortion' crimes, where predators use social media and online platforms to exploit and abuse minors. It also underscores the need for greater education and awareness around online safety, as well as stronger law enforcement efforts to crack down on these types of crimes.

The details

According to authorities, Mulligan engaged with the girls on social media and online chat rooms, coercing them to send him graphic content. When the girls said they no longer wanted to participate, Mulligan threatened to publicly release the images. His victims were not just from the U.S., but also from countries like the U.K., Australia, Spain, Canada, Denmark, and the Philippines.

  • From 2019 to 2023, Mulligan coerced at least 108 girls to send him sexually explicit content.
  • On Tuesday, Mulligan was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison, plus 25 years of supervised release.

The players

Chase William Mulligan

A 28-year-old man from Silver Spring, Maryland, who was sentenced to 50 years in prison for coercing more than 100 girls to send him sexually explicit images and videos.

William DelBagno

The special FBI agent in charge who described Mulligan as a "depraved and dangerous predator" who "used social media to target, viciously threaten, and horribly abuse more than 100 minor victims".

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What they’re saying

“Chase Mulligan is a depraved and dangerous predator. He used social media to target, viciously threaten, and horribly abuse more than 100 minor victims – one as young as five years old.”

— William DelBagno, Special FBI agent in charge (Press release)

What’s next

The case is part of the nationwide Project Safe Childhood initiative started by the Justice Department in 2006 to combat the sexual exploitation of minors.

The takeaway

This case highlights the urgent need for greater online safety education and stronger law enforcement efforts to crack down on the growing problem of 'sextortion' crimes, where predators exploit and abuse minors through social media and other digital platforms.