Program Analyst With the United States Navy Sentenced To 40 Years In Federal Prison For Child Pornography Offenses Involving Multiple Victims; Enticed at Least 10 Underage Boys to Produce Sexually Explicit Images and Videos. Sexually Abused One Victim, in Exchange for Cash and Marijuana

A judge for the US District Court of Maryland sentenced Spencer E. Steckman, 36, of Silver Spring, today to 40 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for the production, transportation, and possession of child pornography.  Judge Grimm also ordered that Steckman, a Program Analyst with the US Navy, pay restitution of $120,000 to the victims, and that Steckman must register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). 

Steckman pleaded guilty on June 11, 2019, to one count of production of child pornography, one count of transportation of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.   

According to his plea agreement and other court documents, Steckman enticed at least 10 preteen and teenage boys to engage in sexually explicit conduct, record it and send it to him.  He employed a variety of tactics, including misrepresenting his identity, offering money and video game redemption codes, and encouraging the children to compete with others to produce and send the “best” photos.  Steckman also admitted that he gave one of the victims cash and marijuana to engage in sexual activity with him.  After years of this conduct, Steckman moved to Japan in mid-November 2017, where he worked with Commander Navy Region Japan, and transported and possessed the child pornography.

Further investigation revealed that Steckman had shared his child pornography, including images sent to him by the victims, with like-minded offenders, and that he stored most of his child pornography collection on an encrypted device.


Steckman was detained by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) in Japan on March 27, 2018, and transported back to Maryland by the United States Marshals Service to appear before the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.  He has remained in custody since that time.