Man from Fort Collins admits guilt in long-term abuse of underage person for sexual purposes
In a significant development, Wesley Chambers, a 34-year-old resident of Fort Collins, Colorado, has admitted to multiple federal charges involving the sexual exploitation of a child and the possession of child sexual abuse material.
The case, which is part of Project Safe Childhood - a nationwide initiative launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse in the United States - was prosecuted by the Department of Justice's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Colorado.
Project Safe Childhood is a comprehensive programme that focuses on coordinating federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet. The initiative also emphasises a coordinated and comprehensive response, involving vigorous investigation and prosecution of offenders.
In this particular case, Chambers admitted to sexually abusing a minor over several years and recording the acts. Investigations conducted by the FBI's Child Exploitation Operational Unit and its Denver Field Office uncovered more than 200 sexually explicit videos and photographs of the minor on Chambers' phone, along with over 20,000 images and 2,500 videos involving other exploited minors. Chambers also admitted to accessing child pornography on the dark web, including graphic and extreme content from so-called "hurtcore" sites.
A key part of Project Safe Childhood’s mission is identifying and assisting child victims. Offering support and resources to help them recover and reduce further harm is crucial. In this instance, the focus will now shift towards providing the necessary support to the victim.
Project Safe Childhood also recognises the importance of prevention through education and community outreach. For example, it supports events like Internet Safety Forums and encourages school involvement in educational programs such as the FBI’s Safe Online Surfing Internet Challenge to teach children about online dangers. The broader goal is to foster a community-based effort to protect children and help prevent exploitation before it occurs.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc. Chambers is scheduled for sentencing on October 22, 2025. The sentence will be determined by a federal district judge considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors. If convicted, Chambers faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of up to 70 years in federal prison.
If you have information related to child exploitation or abuse in Northern Colorado, report it to local law enforcement or visit tips.fbi.gov.
- The recent case involving Wesley Chambers, a Fort Collins, Northern Colorado resident, has been prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse across the United States.
- As part of Project Safe Childhood, events such as Internet Safety Forums and educational programs like the FBI’s Safe Online Surfing Internet Challenge are supported to teach children about online dangers and prevent exploitation before it occurs.
- Following the admission of Chambers to sexually abusing a minor and recording the acts, the investigation conducted by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit uncovered over 200 sexually explicit videos and photographs of the minor on Chambers' phone, as well as thousands of other compromising images and videos of other minors.
- In addition to prosecuting offenders, Project Safe Childhood emphasizes a coordinated approach towards supporting child victims, including offering resources and assistance to help them recover and reduce further harm, as will be the focus in this particular case.
