AURORA — A 31-year-old man is going to prison for decades after being accused of sexually abusing children, including a baby, and recording the abuse, Colorado officials said. In March 2022,
Aurora officers received reports that a man, later identified as Aaron Marshall Mocalkins, was using the social media platform Kik to save and send out child sexual abuse material, according to an October 28 news release by the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
Detectives were able to trace the IP address to an Aurora home, and when driving by, they found a car in the driveway registered to Mocalkins, prosecutors said.
A search warrant was granted , and multiple electronic devices were seized, including a phone, officials said.
Investigators found thousands of sexually explicit material of boys and girls, with one child being less than a year old, prosecutors said.
Further investigation revealed Mocalkins had been talking to minors online and coercing them into sending him sexually explicit videos, officials said.
Officers also found several videos and photos of Mocalkins engaging in sexual acts with kids, including a baby, and a video of him having sex with an animal, officials said.
He pleaded guilty to charges of sexual exploitation of a child, officials said.
Mocalkins was sentenced to 40 years in prison and must pay restitution to all the victims, prosecutors said.
“This case is a powerful reminder that behind every image or video of child exploitation is a real child who has been victimized and continues to be victimized each time the material is viewed or shared,” Chief Deputy District Attorney Jacob Kremin said in the release.
Aurora is about a 10-mile drive east of Denver.
By PALOMA CHAVEZ/McClatchy News
Paloma Chavez is a reporter covering real-time news on the West Coast. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Southern California.
If you suspect a child has experienced, is currently experiencing, or is at risk of experiencing abuse or neglect, your first step should be to contact the appropriate agency. The Child Welfare Information Gateway has a list of state agencies you can contact. Find help specific to your area here.
For additional help, the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline has professional crisis counselors available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in over 170 languages. All calls are confidential. The hotline offers crisis intervention, information, and referrals to thousands of emergency, social service, and support resources. You can call or text 1-800-422-4453.
If you believe a child is in immediate danger, please call 911 for help.
