A Buchanan, Virginia man has admitted guilt to federal charges related to child exploitation. Christopher Buono, aged 45, entered a guilty plea for one count of child sexual exploitation and one count of possession of child pornography.
Court documents reveal that the incident occurred in January 2024 during a party at Buono's home in Buchanan. It was reported that Buono and a six-year-old female went into his game room where her genitals were exposed. Subsequently, Buono took explicit photographs of the minor with his cellphone. Later, he sent one of these images via a messaging app to another person with an interest in minors.
Buono could face up to forty years in federal prison when sentenced.
The announcement regarding the guilty plea came from Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee. The investigation was led by the Department of Homeland Security, with support from the Botetourt County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Scheff is responsible for prosecuting this case.
This case falls under Project Safe Childhood, an initiative established by the Department of Justice in 2006 aimed at protecting children from abuse and exploitation through coordinated efforts across various levels of law enforcement.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.