Rhode Island man who previously sought illicit activity from minor in a diaper at local mall sentenced on new charges

Attorney General Peter Neronha announced today that a Warren man has been sentenced in Providence County Superior Court to serve at the Adult Correctional institutions after pleading to multiple counts of child molestation against three female victims under the age of 14 between 2009 and 2014.

At a hearing on January 3, 2024, before Superior Court Justice Linda Rekas Sloan, 49-year-old Christopher Kinney entered a guilty plea to two counts of first-degree child molestation and one count of second-degree child molestation. Judge Rekas Sloan sentenced the defendant to 35 years, with 19 years to serve at the ACI, and a 16-year suspended sentence with 35 years of probation. Judge Rekas Sloan also issued a no-contact order between the defendant and the victims. Finally, the defendant must register as a sex offender, comply with all statutory requirements relating to sex offender registration, and complete sex offender counseling.

“Sexual assaults against children at the hands of ‘trusted’ adults remain an ongoing, devastating problem,” said Attorney General Neronha. “In this case, multiple children bravely mustered the courage to come forward in the name of accountability, and in doing so, helped to ensure that other children won’t experience trauma at the hands of this defendant. I am also grateful to the men and women of the Rhode Island State Police for their continued partnership and their outstanding work to deliver justice for victims.”

Had the case proceeded to trial, the State was prepared to prove that on various dates between 2009 and 2014, Kinney sexually assaulted three female victims. The victims were known to the defendant and all under 14 years old at the time of the assaults.

In 2022, Kinney was sentenced to 16 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to enticing a minor female online to meet him at a local mall where he planned to dress her in a diaper and engage in illicit sexual activity, and who further admitted to possessing and distributing child pornography.

“Cases such as these are devastating for the victims, their family, and the community. However, I want to thank the whole team who has worked on this case and the willingness of the victims to come forward as we worked to investigate these terrible crimes,” said Colonel Darnell S. Weaver. “The Rhode Island State Police and Attorney General’s Office were dedicated to this case and spent many difficult hours on investigation and prosecution of the defendant.”

Captain Peter Chabot and Detective Corporal Adam Houston of the Rhode Island State and Assistant Attorney General Shannon Signore of the Office of the Attorney General led the investigation and prosecution of the case.