Feds Give Tennessee Woman Pretrial Diversion for Obstructing Child Sexual Abuse Case

Prosecutors formally granted Christina Marie Moody Waldeck a pretrial diversion for obstruction charges at the Gainesville Federal Courthouse this morning. 

Ms. Waldeck was accused of tampering with a witness or victim and obstructing her co-defendant/husband Devin Waldeck’s child sexual abuse case, but prosecutors agreed to drop the charges if she can abide by certain conditions for 18 months. 

In June, Mr. Waldeck pleaded guilty to child exploitation and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). He faces a maximum sentence of 50 years in prison before Chief District Judge Allen Winsor on September 10 at the Tallahassee Federal Courthouse. Winsor also presided over today’s hearing. 

Ms. Waldeck was arrested in January and later released pending trial while Mr. Waldeck remains in federal custody. 

Winsor indicated that deferred prosecutions are rare within the Northern District. He told Ms. Waldeck that she didn’t have to take the agreement and would be waiving her right to a speedy trial, but she still wanted to go through with it. 

Details about the crime itself did not come up during the hearing. The offense occurred within the Northern District of Florida and Ms. Waldeck has since moved to Tennessee.

Mr. Waldeck was previously employed as sergeant with the Florida Department of Corrections. He worked at the Cross City Correctional Institute. 

Mr. Waldeck and Ms. Waldeck were both charged on the same superseding indictment, which came after the initial indictment that only named Mr. Waldeck. The superseding indictment alleges Ms. Waldeck “did corruptly influence, obstruct and impede or endeavor to influence, obstruct and impede the due administration of justice" in Mr. Waldeck’s case by “making false and misleading statements to sway, change, or prevent the testimony of Individual #1, and by directing Individual #1 to dismiss [their] protective order against Devin Scott Waldeck and to create a Reddit account as evidence for Devin Scott Waldeck.”

According to court documents pertaining to Mr. Waldeck, “A search warrant was issued for [Devin Waldeck’s] Reddit account, which contained 700 conversations between [himself] and other Reddit users. In most of the conversations, [he] attempted to schedule a sexual encounter. In at least 17 conversations, [Devin Waldeck] stated, as himself or posing as his wife, that he/she either had sexual encounters with or wanted to have sexual encounters with minors. [Devin Waldeck] often sent pictures of his wife and Victim #1 to other Reddit users as enticement to arrange a sexual encounter.”

Ms. Waldeck's charges further allege that she “did knowingly use intimidation, threaten, and corruptly persuade another person… Individual #1, and attempted to do so, and did knowingly engage in misleading conduct towards Individual #1, with the intent to influence, delay, and prevent the testimony of Individual #1 in an official proceeding.” 

Federal prosecutors will move to dismiss the case in 18 months if Ms. Waldeck abides by the following conditions:

• She must refrain from violating the law and is required to contact her pretrial diversion supervisor within 24 hours if arrested or questioned by law enforcement. 
• She must maintain or actively seek employment.
• She must report any residence changes to her pretrial diversion supervisor.
• She must have no contact with the victim or Devin Waldeck unless approved by the government.
• She must successfully complete a mental health treatment evaluation and participate in any recommended treatment as directed, at a program approved by the United States Probation Office.
• She must follow all instructions of the United States Probation Office.

The Waldeck’s cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt with the Office of United States Attorney John P. Heekin.