A former U.S. Marine who once served at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison after being convicted of producing and collecting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from minors he manipulated online for years.
Anthony Joseph Fritzinger, 25, of Middletown, New Jersey, was found guilty in September 2024 on 12 felony counts, including five counts of CSAM production, four counts of online exploitation of a minor, two counts of extortion, and one count of possession of CSAM. On July 10, 2025, he was handed down a 40-year sentence by a federal judge in Wilmington.
Fritzinger used teen-focused dating apps such as Yubo, Spotafriend, and mylol.com to find underage victims. In some cases, he posed as a teenage girl. Once he gained their trust, he moved conversations to platforms like Snapchat and Instagram, where he convinced minors to send sexually explicit images and videos.
But the manipulation didn’t stop there. According to federal prosecutors, Fritzinger groomed victims into dominant/submissive “relationships” where he controlled their actions and convinced them to perform degrading and sadistic punishments on camera. He used emotional blackmail—at one point pretending he was dying—to gain compliance. He also extorted many of the victims by threatening to release their images if they didn’t continue sending more.
“This defendant preyed on vulnerable children, manipulating and threatening them to produce explicit content for his own gratification,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “We will continue to do all we can to stand with survivors, protect children, and ensure their voices are heard as we pursue justice.”
The case came to light when one 18-year-old woman reported to local police that Fritzinger was threatening to release images of her taken when she was still a minor. Her report led to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) launching a broader investigation.
What NCIS uncovered was staggering:
- Hundreds of screenshots of young girls’ social media profiles
- Thousands of messages where Fritzinger coerced minors into sending CSAM
- A Dropbox account with hundreds of explicit images and videos
- Content depicting victims as young as toddlers
Special Agent in Charge Kelly Parrish of the NCIS Carolinas Field Office called it “the very worst kind of online exploitation,” and credited both the bravery of the victims and the relentless work of investigators for bringing Fritzinger to justice.
“This conviction demonstrates the unwavering commitment of NCIS, our investigative partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to conduct thorough investigations and work aggressively to bring to justice those who threaten the safety of our communities,” said Parrish.
The case was prosecuted under the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a nationwide DOJ program aimed at combatting the exploitation of minors online.
U.S. Attorney Michael Easley emphasized the need for vigilance among parents. “This case is a warning to predators and a wake-up call for parents. Closely monitor your kids’ social media accounts and talk to them about the dangers of strangers online who may pretend to be a friend.”
Fritzinger’s military career was not detailed by prosecutors, but he was no longer in active service at the time of his arrest.
He will serve the entirety of his sentence in federal prison with no possibility of parole.
If you believe a child is being exploited online, report it immediately to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.cybertipline.org.
For more on Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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