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Air Force airman admits receiving child sexual abuse material at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst
Prosecutors say the NJ resident used online chats to solicit explicit images from minors; sentencing is set for June 18, 2026.
An active-duty U.S. Air Force airman stationed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst admitted in federal court that he received child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
Christian Keilberg, 34, of Ocean County, pleaded guilty on Feb. 19, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner in Trenton to an information charging him with receipt of child pornography, federal prosecutors said. Keilberg is scheduled to be sentenced on June 18, 2026.
The guilty plea marks the latest federal prosecution tied to online exploitation allegations involving a service member living in base housing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, underscoring ongoing enforcement efforts aimed at identifying victims and prosecuting those who exploit children.
What prosecutors allege happened
According to court documents and statements made in court, prosecutors said that from November 2020 through November 2022, Keilberg used online chat applications and social media while living and working on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst to communicate with minor victims located both within New Jersey and outside the state.
Prosecutors said Keilberg exchanged sexually explicit messages with minors and asked them to send images and videos of themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Authorities later searched Keilberg’s electronic devices found in his on-base housing, prosecutors said, and recovered additional child pornography.
The government said Keilberg received more than 600 images, including depictions of minors estimated to be between 12 and 15 years old.
Potential penalties
The receipt charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison, with a maximum of 20 years and a potential fine of up to $250,000, prosecutors said. Sentencing in federal court typically also considers advisory guideline calculations and other statutory factors.
Investigation and prosecution
Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello credited the U.S. Department of the Air Force, Office of Special Investigations—under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Rebecca B. Bates—with leading the investigation, and he also credited the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office for assistance.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Agnew of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton, officials said.
Federal officials said the matter was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 that coordinates federal, state, and local resources to investigate and prosecute child sexual exploitation and to identify and rescue victims.
