08/10/2026
COVINGTON- On August 6, 2026, a Kenton County jury deliberated for approximately four hours before returning a verdict finding Christopher Malo Sears, 34, guilty of 56 felony offenses. Sears was convicted of multiple counts of Distribution of Matter Portraying a Sexual Performance by a Minor, Possession of Matter Portraying a Sexual Performance by a Minor, and Unlawful Use of Electronic Device to Solicit a Minor for Sexual Acts. On August 7, 2026, the same jury returned for the sentencing phase of the three day trial. After hearing testimony about Sears' three prior felony convictions in two prior cases, the jury found Sears guilty of being a Persistent Felony Offender in the 1st Degree. The jury recommended their verdicts for each offense run consecutively for a total of 972 years in prison.
In 2024, Covington Police Sgt. Austin Ross began an investigation into Christopher Malo Sears, 32, of Covington, Kentucky. Ross’s investigation was the result of multiple CyberTipline Reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) which reported that Sears was using the social media application Kik to send photos and videos of child sexual assault material (“CSAM” or, under Kentucky law, “matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor”) to other users. The NCMEC CyberTipline Reports reported a total of 28 images and videos depicting prepubescent children n**e and being subjected to sexual acts with other children and by adult men.
Investigation of Sears’s Kik account found he was actually exchanging CSAM with other Kik users, including that Sears was sending photos he claimed to be of his own family members. Sgt. Ross also recovered conversations showing Sears was communicating with children on the application, engaging in sexual conversation and sending obscene photos and videos of himself to those children, and attempting to obtain images or photos directly from them.
On August 5 and 6, 2026, Sears was tried and convicted of: 16 counts of Possession of Matter Portraying a Sexual Performance by a Minor (victim under 12), 4 counts of Possession of Matter Portraying a Sexual Performance by a Minor (victim under 18), 27 counts of Distribution of Matter Portraying a Sexual Performance by a Minor (victim under 12), 5 counts of Distribution of Matter Portraying a Sexual Performance by a Minor (victim under 18), and 4 counts of Unlawful Use of an Electronic Communication System to Induce or Procure a Minor to Commit a Sexual Offense. The Commonwealth, represented by Commonwealth’s Attorney Rob Sanders and Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Emily Arnzen, called Sgt. Ross as the only witness in the case.
In addition to the NCMEC CyberTipline Reports and the data obtained from Kik, the jury heard that Sears admitted to Det. Ross that he had been using Kik to cheat on his wife and thought of the application “like PornHub.” Sears confessed that he had received numerous depictions of CSAM from other users, and even that he had saved some of the videos so that he could return to them later. Sears claimed that his behavior was the result of his significant methamphetamine use.
“Drug use can be an excuse for a lot of behavior, even some criminal behavior,” Arnzen argued to the jury, “but here in Kenton County, drug use cannot be an excuse for the perpetuation of the online victimization of children.” The jury clearly agreed, finding Sears guilty of all counts and recommending a total sentence of 972 years in prison.
Sanders applauded the jury's work and the sacrifice it takes for someone to sit through a trial filled with such offensive evidence. "No one agrees to take the maximum sentence even when it's very much deserved," said Sanders, "So we thank the jurors that surely gave a peace of their own mental health to survive this trial and deliver justice for the child victims!"
Because Sears’s offenses were committed before House Bill 5 (aka the Safer Kentucky Act) went into effect on July 15, 2024, Sears’s sentence will be capped by law at 20 years. “Sears should have to serve every day of the jury’s recommendation, but at least their recommendation can send the message that Kenton County will not tolerate such heinous behavior,” Sanders said.
In conclusion, Arnzen said, “What was consistent throughout Sears’s conversations with children is that he was seeking validation from them that his p***s was big enough. I hope 972 is a big enough number for him.”
Formal, final sentencing will take place before Hon. Patricia Summe in September.
