Federal grand juries have indicted Christopher Michael Lawhon, 36, and Tajareia Lawon Aikee Blackwell, 25, on separate child sexual exploitation charges after federal agents discovered child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on their cell phones.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida announced the separate indictments after both men returned from cruises from the Jacksonville cruise port (JAXPORT).

Tajareia Lawon Aikee Blackwell Case Details:

  • Charges: Indicted for the federal transportation of CSAM.
  • Arrest Details: Blackwell, a resident of North Carolina, returned from his cruise on June 8, 2026.
  • Evidence: A border search of his device uncovered CSAM sent to him by a 14-year-old victim. Prosecutors stated Blackwell carried the material through Florida and into international waters during the trip.
  • Prior Allegations: Blackwell was already facing state charges in North Carolina for statutory rape and indecent liberties with a child.
  • Potential Penalties: If convicted of the federal charge, Blackwell faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and up to 20 years in federal prison.

Christopher Michael Lawhon Case Details:

  • Charges: Indicted for the production and attempted production of CSAM.
  • Arrest Details: Lawhon, a resident of South Carolina, returned from his cruise on May 7, 2026.
  • Evidence: A U.S. Customs and Border Protection search of his cell phone revealed multiple surreptitiously recorded videos, including at least one recording a young boy inside a bathroom stall.
  • Admission: Lawhon reportedly admitted to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents that he practiced bathroom voyeurism. Lawhon reportedly told Homeland Security that he “had an interest in voyeurism and typically recorded other people in the bathroom.”
  • Potential Penalties: If convicted, Lawhon faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in federal prison.

Prosecution and Initiative

The investigation was carried out jointly by HSI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Statesville, North Carolina Police Department. The charges were brought forward under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative launched to combat child sexual exploitation.

Both Lawhon and Blackwell Sailed on the Carnival Elation (on different dates)

The U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to name the cruise line or cruise ship(s) on which Lawhon and Blackwell traveled. However, the only cruise ship which returned to the port of Jacksonville on May 7, 2026 (after a 4-night Bahamas cruise) and June 8, 2026 (after a 5-night Bahamas cruise) was the Carnival Elation.

An Accused Child Predator Out On a $750,000 Bond Permitted to Cruise?

It is disturbing that Blackwell, who was reportedly already facing state charges in North Carolina for statutory rape and indecent liberties with a child, was permitted to cruise on the Carnival cruise ship. Carnival claims that it performs background checks on cruise guests for sexual offenses prior to being permitted to cruise, but this case serious raises doubts about that claim.

Blackwell was previously arrested in late February of this year and charged with felony statutory rape of a child 15 years of age or younger, felony statutory sex-offense with a child 15 years of age or younger and felony indecent liberties with a child. A bond was set at $750,000. He was released from the Iredell County Detention Center after somehow satisfying the bond. The conditions of release state (in bold):

“DEFENDANT IS A DANGER TO THE COMMUNITY BASED ON THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE CHARGES AGAINST HIM. DEFENDANT IS TO HAVE NO CONTACT WITH THE VICTIM ANS NO UNSUPERVISED CONTACT W/ANY MINOR UNDER AGE 18.”

Notwithstanding the terms of his release, Blackwell took the very same 14-year-old child he raped in February with him on the cruise in June together with the CSAM, according to Suncoast News Network.

The criminal charges in state court remain pending. Blackwell remains in federal custody in Florida.

No comment From Carnival

Carnival Cruise Line refused to state whether Blackwell or Lawhon were passengers on the Carnival Elation or if Carnival performs background checks on passengers.

It also refused to address why Carnival permitted Blackwell to cruise on the Carnival Elation and take the child victim with him.

Conclusion

The question remains why did Carnival permit Blackwell to cruise on the Carnival Elation and take the child victim with him? A simple Google search using his name would have revealed the felony statutory rape charges pending against Blackwell.

At a minimum, Carnival needs to expand its background checks to flag open, active indictments and pending felony arraignments, particularly involving minors, rather than just completed convictions.

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Image credit: Blackwell mug shot – via 860wacb; Carnival Elation – Eric Gunderson – CC BY-SA 3.0, commons / wikimedia.