A former youth pastor from Jenks, Oklahoma, has been sentenced for crimes involving the attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and possession of child pornography. U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson announced that Chaz Chinsethagid, 34, received a sentence of 168 months in prison followed by lifetime supervised release. Upon his release, he will be required to register as a sex offender.
Court documents reveal that between December 2023 and March 2024, Chinsethagid engaged in online conversations with someone he believed to be a 14-year-old. The discussions quickly turned sexual as he attempted to entice the minor into participating in video calls or sending explicit photos. Additionally, Chinsethagid admitted to possessing explicit videos and images of children under the age of 12.
Chinsethagid is currently in custody awaiting transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse through coordinated efforts among federal, state, and local resources.