A federal grand jury indicted a Marshall County woman Monday for producing child pornography.
The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town and ICE Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge for Alabama James G. Hernandez.
The indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Anna Marie Gomez, 31, with two counts of persuading a minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce an image of that conduct and transmit it across state lines. Federal prosecutors have stated that Gomez took sexually explicit pictures of a 5-year-old girl and sent them to a person in Florida.
“These crimes are detestable and our investigators and prosecutors will remain ever vigilant in protecting victims”, Town said. “Those who violate these laws can expect to find themselves facing a federal charge in federal court and, if convicted, a federal prison bed.”
The penalty for producing child pornography is 15 to 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
The Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s HSI investigated the cases. Assistant United States Attorney Robert Becher, Sr. is prosecuting Ms. Gomez.
Everyone under the American system is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a jury of their peers. An indictment contains only charges. Using children for pornography and sex trafficking is a growing criminal industry.
