LEONARDTOWN, Md. — Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Alena Mosier of the St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office received recognition from U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Kelly O. Hayes for her outstanding contributions to child exploitation investigations. The award was presented during this year’s Project Safe Childhood Awards Ceremony.
Mosier’s work, in partnership with Sergeant Taylore Nauman of the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office and a multi-jurisdictional team of state and federal agencies, led to the successful investigation, apprehension, and prosecution of Charles Anthony Forame IV, 33, of Brooklyn Park, Maryland. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Forame to 20 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release and lifetime sexual offender registration.
According to court documents, Forame used his Snapchat account to meet teenage girls online. He falsely told the victims he was 19 years old, then coerced them into providing explicit images or, in some cases, engaging in sexual acts in person. Forame promised vapes or marijuana in exchange and threatened to expose the images if the victims tried to end contact. The victims, ages 13 to 16, were middle-school and high-school students. Forame admitted to this conduct with nine victims from September 2023 until his arrest in May 2024.
State’s Attorney Jaymi Sterling encouraged the community to join her in congratulating Mosier. “Sr. ASA Mosier’s dedication to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community truly embodies the mission of the St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office,” Sterling stated in a release. A special thanks was extended to Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen McGuinn, who prosecuted the federal case.
The collaborative effort involved the FBI Baltimore Field Office, the State’s Attorney’s Offices for Charles, Calvert, and Anne Arundel counties, the St. Mary’s, Charles, and Calvert county sheriff’s offices, and the Anne Arundel County Police Department. U.S. Attorney Hayes announced the sentence alongside Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul of the FBI Baltimore Field Office and the participating local prosecutors and law enforcement leaders, including St. Mary’s County Sheriff Steven A. Hall, Charles County Sheriff Troy D. Berry, Calvert County Sheriff Ricky Cox, and Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal E. Awad.
This case forms part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006. The program coordinates federal, state, and local resources to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse, locate and apprehend offenders, prosecute them, and identify and rescue victims. Additional information about Project Safe Childhood is available at justice.gov/psc, which also offers internet safety education resources.
The successful outcome underscores the importance of interagency cooperation across Southern Maryland and the broader Baltimore-Washington region in addressing online child exploitation. Cases like this highlight the risks minors face on social media platforms and the coordinated response required to hold perpetrators accountable under both state and federal law.
Mosier’s recognition highlights the day-to-day efforts of prosecutors and law enforcement professionals who work to safeguard children from predators who exploit digital platforms. Officials emphasized that such partnerships remain essential as technology evolves and new avenues for exploitation emerge.
The St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office continues to prioritize the protection of vulnerable residents through proactive investigations and strong prosecution. Community members seeking resources on internet safety or suspecting exploitation are encouraged to contact local law enforcement or visit the Project Safe Childhood website for guidance.
This prosecution and the associated award demonstrate Southern Maryland’s commitment to a unified front against child exploitation, with local agencies playing key roles in a greater federal effort that has produced measurable results in protecting youth.
