AURORA | An Aurora man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after investigators discovered he had collected thousands of child sexual abuse images and videos, including material he created involving children and an infant, 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 a statement.
Aaron Marshall Mocalkins, 31, was sentenced in Arapahoe County District Court after pleading guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of a child, all felonies, according to Eric Ross, spokesperson for the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
The case began in March 2022 when the Aurora Police Department received a referral from the Colorado Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, led by the Colorado Springs Police Department. Investigators were tipped off that someone had used the social media app Kik to store and share child sexual abuse material.
Investigators traced the social media ativity to a home in Aurora, where police executed a search warrant.
Officers seized multiple electronic devices, including cellphones belonging to Mocalkins. In court, police testified that they found “thousands” of explicit images and videos of boys and girls. One image depicted an infant, prosecutors said.
Police had to call in federal experts to extract the images.
“Mocalkins refused to cooperate with the investigation and would not provide detectives with access to his devices,” Aurora police spokesperson Joe Moylan said in a statement last year. “With the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations, detectives were ultimately able to bypass Mocalkins’ passcodes and confirmed he was in possession of thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse material.”
Investigators said Mocalkins had coerced minors online into sending explicit videos, which he collected, prosecutors said. During the search, investigators uncovered videos showing Mocalkins engaging in sexual acts with children and a dog, some of which were recorded inside his home.
In addition to his prison sentence, Mocalkins was ordered to pay restitution to his victims.
“These crimes leave deep and lasting scars, and while no prison term can undo that harm, this sentence holds the defendant accountable and affirms our unwavering commitment to protecting children and delivering justice,” 18th Judicial District Attorney Amy Padden said.
In addition to the 40-year prison sentence, Mocalkins will be required to pay restitution to all victims. DA officials did not detail what restitution entails.