NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – A man who posed as a modeling agent and professional photographer was sentenced today to 12 years and eight months in state prison for sexually assaulting minor girls and possessing child pornography. Christopher Andrew Brown, 44, Bell Canyon, pleaded guilty on Dec. 22, 2016, to five felony counts of sexual penetration by a foreign object of a minor, five felony counts of oral copulation of a minor, one felony count of possession and control of child pornography, one felony count of using a minor for distribution of obscene material, and one felony count of lewd acts on a child. In addition to prison, Brown was sentenced to mandatory lifetime sex offender registration.

At the time of the crime, Brown traveled as a freelance photographer and told victims he was a modeling agent. The defendant previously worked as a children's gymnastics coach.

In February 2013, Brown committed a lewd act on 15-year-old Jane Doe 2.

Between June 13, 2014, and Aug. 31, 2015, Brown met minor Jane Doe 1 and offered to take photographs of the victim. During that time, the defendant took sexually explicit photos of Jane Doe 1 and sexually assaulted her by penetration with a foreign object, oral copulation, and using the minor for distribution of obscene material.

One of the defendant's relatives discovered evidence of child pornography in Brown's possession and reported the crime to authorities. This case was investigated by the Orange County Sheriff's Department (OCSD) with assistance from the Los Angeles Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. OCSD located and arrested Brown on Sept. 25, 2015, at a shopping center in Newport Beach. Brown possessed and controlled child pornography on his personal computer and an external hard drive at the time of his arrest.

The Orange County Child Exploitation Task Force (OCCETF) is comprised of members from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations, OCSD, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newport Beach Police Department and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. OCCETF is assigned to investigate Internet-related crimes against children as well as crimes involving the possession, production and distribution of child pornography.

Deputy District Attorney Mike Carroll of the Sexual Assault Unit prosecuted this case.

Orange County District Attorney / Case # 15HF1113 / March 24, 2017