A married Missouri couple faces decades in federal prison after using the messaging software Discord to seduce a Virginia teenager, drive her across state lines, and sexually assault her multiple times.
Justin Johiah Curtright, 41, has received a 45-year prison sentence. His 33-year-old wife, Christin Marie Curtright, received a 27-year sentence. In 2025, both Springfield residents pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a minor and transporting a minor for unlawful sexual behaviour.
The abuse began online in 2024. According to court filings, Justin Curtright first contacted the victim on Discord and later introduced her to his wife. They remained in continuous touch via phone and video chat, with Justin persuading the youngster to keep the connection hidden from her family. The pair conducted graphic actions on tape and pushed the teen to do the same. Throughout these conversations, Justin frequently claimed to be her father.
After weeks of preparation, the pair drove to Virginia in the summer of 2024 to retrieve the victim. They put her in their van and drove back to Missouri. During the ride, the couple took turns sexually torturing the teen in the backseat. Once they arrived at their flat, the violence continued for several days.
Springfield Police eventually tracked down the youngster to the couple’s residence, where she was discovered cowering in the back of a bedroom closet. She was carrying a phoney ID card provided by Justin, which identified her as his daughter.
When authorities confiscated the couple’s phones, they discovered images and recordings of the abuse from both the road trip and internet video conversations. Investigators also obtained detailed Discord chat records detailing how the couple misled the victim. These conversations revealed that Justin was actively attempting to exploit other children online, and he had told his wife about his fantasies of assaulting a teenage runaway.
Robert N. Tracci, First Assistant United States Attorney, announced the sentence alongside the FBI. The FBI, Springfield Police, and several local agencies conducted the investigation, while Assistant United States Attorneys Drew O. Inman and Lee S. Brett headed the prosecution.
“This office is committed to seeking maximum accountability against predators who target our children online or through other means,” Tracci stated. “This sentence should send a clear message to those who exploit our children: you will be identified by law enforcement and prosecuted to the full extent of the law by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia.”
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