Former Marine Sentenced 40 Years for Sextortion Across Multiple States

Anthony Fritzinger, a former Marine stationed at Cherry Point Air Station, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for multiple child sexual abuse offenses, including production and possession of child pornography, online exploitation, and extortion. Fritzinger preyed on roughly two dozen minors across several states by using teen dating websites and social media platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram, sometimes posing as a teenage girl to manipulate victims into sending sexually explicit images and performing sadistic acts. He extorted victims by threatening to distribute compromising images to their friends and family if they did not comply with his demands. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) led the investigation, uncovering hundreds of images, videos, and explicit chats, and highlighting the widespread nature of Fritzinger's crimes. Prosecutors emphasized the case as a stark example of the dangers posed by social media exploitation and reaffirmed their commitment to protecting children and supporting survivors. NCIS Special Agent in Charge Kelly Parrish praised the victims' courage and the agency's relentless efforts to hold offenders accountable.