ST. PAUL, Minn. — A Minneapolis man has pleaded guilty to producing and attempting to produce child pornography after targeting multiple teenage girls online over nearly three years.
Christopher Allan Amelsberg, 36, faces a minimum sentence of 25 years in prison.
According to court documents, Amelsberg used text messaging and social media apps to engage female minors in sexually focused conversations between August 2023 and May 2026. His goal was to produce child pornography.
In one case, Amelsberg used online messaging platforms to communicate with a 15-year-old girl between August 2025 and October 2025. He persuaded and directed the girl to produce videos and images of herself performing sexually explicit acts.
Amelsberg admitted to “trading” sexually explicit images of children. Prosecutors identified at least 12 victims between the ages of 14 and 17 whom Amelsberg solicited or attempted to solicit to produce child pornography and engage in unlawful sexual acts.
Amelsberg was on the Minnesota Predatory Offender Registry during this time because of a prior conviction for possession of child pornography. He committed these crimes while already registered as a sex offender.
“Amelsberg is a child predator, and today’s plea is an important step towards justice for the victims and families he harmed,” U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen said. “Protecting children is our office’s highest priority, and we will continue working with federal and law enforcement to hold accountable those who prey on them.”
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said identifying and holding online predators accountable is one of the agency’s highest priorities. “Predators like Amelsberg target the most vulnerable members of our society, our children,” Evans said. “We must do everything we can to stop them, bring them to justice, and support the victims and families whose lives they have forever changed.”
FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson said Amelsberg sexually exploited at least a dozen children from his Minneapolis home while being a registered sex offender. “Even after a previous state conviction for possessing child sexual abuse material, this defendant did not learn his lesson,” Dotson said.
Investigators believe there may be more victims of Amelsberg’s online sexual exploitation. Anyone with information about exploitation committed by Christopher Allan Amelsberg can call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit information to tips.fbi.gov.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the FBI Minneapolis Division investigated the case with help from the Minneapolis Police Department. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
