HARRISBURG, PA — A Luzerne County man has been charged with multiple offenses involving the alleged sexual exploitation of a minor, following an investigation into his communication and interactions with a 15-year-old.
William James Christian Jr., 30, of Dupont, is accused of using Facebook Messenger to exchange thousands of messages with the victim between 2023 and 2024. Authorities allege the messages included sexual comments, explicit imagery, and solicitations for sexual acts. Christian, who served as a board member for the Lehigh & Keystone Valley Model Railroad Museum, reportedly used their shared interest in model trains as a means to engage and groom the minor.
The alleged physical assaults are said to have occurred mainly during trips to and from model train events.
Christian was arrested and charged with unlawful contact with a minor, indecent assault, disseminating explicit sexual material to a minor, and related offenses. He was arraigned on Tuesday, with bail set at $125,000. Under the terms of his bail, Christian is prohibited from accessing the internet, unsupervised contact with minors, or involvement with the railroad museum.
“This defendant used a common interest—enthusiasm for trains—to groom and prey on a young person,” Attorney General Dave Sunday stated. “I am thankful for the collaboration between my office, law enforcement, and community partners who helped stop this predatory behavior.”
Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of law enforcement partnerships, saying, “This investigation again underscores the important and dynamic collaborative efforts of agencies in our vigilant pursuit in prosecuting those who prey on our most vulnerable and in holding them accountable in securing justice.”
Christian’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 13. The case will be prosecuted by Chief Deputy Attorney General Angela Sperrazza and Deputy Attorney General Mary Phillips of the Child Predator Section.
Criminal charges, and any discussion thereof, remain allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
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