A Warren man who authorities believe tried to entice a minor into dressing in diapers and having sex with him at a local mall faces a slew of federal charges, following a month-long undercover investigation by the Rhode Island State Police.
Authorities believe Christopher Kinney, 43, of 631 Metacom Ave., thought he was corresponding with a 14-year-old girl when he arranged in late April to meet her at the Warwick Mall. The plan was for the girl to put on diapers that Mr. Kinney brought for her, and walk around the mall until she soiled herself. After that, the two would have sex in a mall bathroom. In reality, Mr. Kinney was communicating with a Rhode Island State Police Detective who had been alerted to Mr. Kinney’s alleged disturbing activity by a co-worker.
Mr. Kinney was arrested at the mall last Thursday, April 26 and appeared in United States District Court in Providence a day later. He faces one count each of attempted enticement of a minor, possession of child pornography and distribution of child pornography.

Co-worker raises alarm
Police first found out about Mr. Kinney after a co-worker approached state police in late March and alleged that his Facebook page was full of disturbing photos and imagery of young children, many of them wearing diapers, and of children as young as toddler age in various states of undress.
Detective Adam J. Houston, a nine-year veteran of the Rhode Island State Police, wrote in an affidavit supporting an arrest warrant that he interviewed the complainant and learned through subsequent research that Mr. Kinney had twice been investigated by Rhode Island State Police for child molestation and was “an involved participant” in a Warren case of alleged child abuse.
Detective Houston also learned that last October Mr. Kinney had applied to the state Department of Children, Youth and Families, to be a foster parent. He was rejected.
Based on his initial findings, Detective Houston assumed the guise of a 14-year-old girl and “friend requested” Mr. Kinney through Facebook. He accepted her request, and on April 16 the two began a 10-day conversation that touched on punishment, diaper wearing, sex, parents, discipline and other matters, before they agreed to meet for sex at the Warwick Mall on Thursday, April 26.
“I can’t believe you want to have sex with someone older then you,” he wrote early that afternoon.
“I’m down for everything, so whatever u want to do is cool with me,” the detective wrote.
When Mr. Kinney arrived at the mall at 2 p.m. that afternoon, police were waiting and watched him go inside and look around in behavior “consistent with someone conducting counter surveillance in an attempt to locate and identity law enforcement.”
Shortly afterward, detectives approached Mr. Kinney and took him into custody. Searching his car, they found a bottle of deodorant, a diaper bag containing several diapers, two condoms, a pacifier and baby bottle, a bag of candy and a canister of bubble blowing fluid.
His phone was also seized and later police found at least 56 images of child pornography. on it.
During a subsequent interview, Detective Houston voiced his concern over whether Mr. Kinney was physically hurting young children.
“Let me tell you something,” he responded. “I loved kids to death okay. As a matter of fact I even went to classes to become a foster parent.”