NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — A Chesapeake man was sentenced in Norfolk after he used financial leverage in order to sexually abuse a child in 2021.

According to court documents, 41-year-old Christopher Digges moved in with a woman who was struggling financially after offering to help pay for rent in 2021. The woman had a child who, on numerous occasions, Digges engaged in sexual conduct with the child and directed her to perform sexual acts to produce Child Sexual Abuse Material.

Digges bought a residence in Chesapeake on Oct. 18, 2021, and moved the mother and child into it. Digges made clear to the child that he purchased the residence for her and used it to manipulate her when she wasn’t available to him.

Digges struck the child in addition to sexually abusing her, and threatened to take away her possessions if she did not comply with his requests or demands.

Digges continued coercing and abusing her until 2023 when she was 14 years old. In July 2023, the mother provided information to law enforcement that Digges had engaged in sexually explicit conduct with the child and had produced and received CSAM.

He was sentenced to 29 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor.

The government recovered $169,462.62 from the sale of the Chesapeake residence.