NoVA Therapist Who Counseled Teens Sentenced In Child Exploitation Case

HERNDON, VA — A Herndon mental health counselor who provided online therapy to adolescents and families was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for participating in an online child sexual exploitation operation, prosecutors said.

Christopher Neal Mishik, 36, participated in online groups that targeted children and encouraged them to produce sexually explicit images and videos, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Mishik, a licensed professional counselor who offered telehealth services to adolescents, young adults and families, participated in the groups for years, prosecutors said.

During the summer of 2024, Mishik joined a social media group of adult men who worked together to produce, share and obtain child sexual abuse material.

Members of the group targeted young girls through their social media accounts, sometimes posing as teenage boys or girls to gain their trust. They encouraged victims to perform sexually explicit acts on camera and participate in the group's activities.

Among the children targeted by Mishik were a 10-year-old and a child with learning disabilities, prosecutors said.

Federal investigators searched Mishik's home on Nov. 12, 2025, and found sexually explicit images and videos of children on his cellphone, including material stored in hidden applications. Court documents say some of the material depicted toddlers.

U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles sentenced Mishik to 30 years in prison Thursday for engaging in a child exploitation enterprise.

The investigation was part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Justice Department initiative aimed at identifying and prosecuting people who sexually exploit children online.