Youth worker gets 20 years in prison for soliciting nude images from teen boys

A onetime youth development worker in the Twin Cities has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for pressuring teenage boys into sending him nude images that he later sent to other victims.

The sentencing of Marcus A. Hinkle, 22, of Burnsville, in federal court in St. Paul on Tuesday comes after he pleaded guilty to two counts of producing child pornography. After leaving prison, he will be under federal supervised release for life.

Prosecutors say that from May to July 2017, Hinkle portrayed himself as 15 years old and used Instagram accounts he created under various names to communicate with boys. He also used an Xbox to communicate with the minors and obtain sexually explicit images.

"Sextortion crimes such as this are prevalent and often victimize the most vulnerable in our society, children," U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald said in a statement Thursday announcing Hinkle's sentence.

According to prosecutors, police in the Detroit suburb of Warren identified two 13-year-old boys as having been pressured into sending naked photos and videos to Hinkle via three Instagram accounts he controlled.

An FBI agent in Minneapolis wrote in a sworn affidavit that Hinkle admitted in a recorded interview with agents that he "sexually exploited" the boys "by pressuring them into sending him pictures and videos of their exposed penises."

The agent added that Hinkle worked with minors for a community organization.

A LinkedIn profile for Hinkle listed him as a staff member for the YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities starting in September 2016. A YMCA spokeswoman said in December 2017 when Hinkle was charged that he worked for the Y at one time but no longer does.

She said the organization conducted a pre-employment background check that found no red flags and that the Y had no complaints during Hinkle's tenure.

Agents searching Hinkle's home found evidence of child pornography, including new victims, according to court documents.

According to the complaint, after his first interview with the FBI, Hinkle said he might hurt himself. The next day, Hinkle called an FBI agent from a hospital and said he wanted to help identify other victims.

Hinkle faxed a summary that outlined his behavior and identified more minor victims.

Hinkle again called the FBI agent on Monday and denied ever touching a child sexually and asked when he could go back to his job working with children.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482