CHESAPEAKE, Va. — A Chesapeake man and former officer in the Navy pleaded guilty Friday to attempted production of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, around October 2022, Christopher Paul Hetherington, 33, initiated sexually explicit conversation over the internet with who he believed to be a 14-year-old girl, but who was actually an undercover law enforcement officer.
Hetherington used a screen name of “sw0daddy” in his communications with the girl, referencing his then-employment as a Surface Warfare Officer for the U.S. Navy.
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Hetherington repeatedly asked the girl to send him sexually explicit photos of her and asked for reassurance that she was not affiliated with law enforcement, records show.
Over the phone, Hetherington detailed the sexual acts he wished to perform on and with her. After the call concluded, Hetherington encouraged the girl to show him her genitals over the Internet.
In December 2022, reports explained that Hetherington made plans to meet with the girl for sex. Instead, Hetherington was arrested at his home on December 21, 2022.
Hetherington is scheduled to be sentenced on August 9, 2023.
He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
