Christopher Scott Marsh, age 45, was sentenced on March 11 to 25 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release after using his access to young children to produce child sexual abuse material, according to First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano.
The case highlights the serious consequences of abusing positions of trust with minors. Prosecutors said Marsh exploited extremely vulnerable victims—one two-year-old and one infant under the age of one—who were in his care or that of his girlfriend. Due to their ages and developmental stages, the children could not understand or report the abuse.
Court records from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Washington indicate that Marsh had been consuming child sexual abuse material for up to two decades and possessed a significant amount of illegal images and videos. Investigators found that he also created exploitative content by digitally manipulating images of a real minor he knew.
Marsh entered a global plea agreement requiring him to plead guilty both federally and in Spokane County Superior Court, where he faces additional counts related to child molestation. He will now enter guilty pleas in Spokane County following his federal sentencing.
First Assistant Serrano said, “The impact of an offense like this extends well beyond the child victims; these crimes impact the victims’ families and our entire community. The families that entrusted Marsh are now left in a vulnerable place with extreme anxiety and difficulty trusting any caretaker as they move forward. Crimes against children a priority to my office; we will do everything possible to protect the children of our community.”
W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge at FBI Seattle field office, said: “It is heartbreaking that Mr. Marsh took advantage of the trust placed in him to exploit children who depended on him for care and protection. In doing so, he caused long-lasting suffering to the young victims and their families. Holding child predators accountable for their crimes is important but difficult work, and I commend the investigators and prosecutors who keep our communities and children safe.”
Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney Preston McCollam added: “Predators who exploit our most vulnerable threaten the sanctity and security of our community at every level… Cases like this underscore the critical importance of strong partnerships between local and federal agencies. I am deeply grateful for the diligent, professional team of local and federal partners who work tirelessly every day to hold offenders like this accountable.”
The investigation was conducted by both federal agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation as well as officers from Spokane Police Department.
