Pair used child in plan to make and sell porn, authorities say
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jason Fletcher, 40, and Ciera Richter, 25. (Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction; Butler County Sheriff's Office)
A man and woman from Ohio have been charged with using a 2-year-old toddler in a plan to produce and sell child pornography videos.
Cousins Ciera Richter, 25, and Jason Fletcher, 40, were federally indicted this week, the Journal-News reported, citing information from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Cincinnati.
A probation officer found pornography of a minor female on one of Fletcher’s phones, and he was subsequently arrested, the newspaper reported.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}In the videos, Richter held, entertained, and positioned the child, while Fletcher recorded himself sexually abusing the toddler, Journal-News reported, citing court records.
Richter also intended to sell the videos, the report said.
Benjamin C. Glassman, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio told Journal-News that the offenses alleged were among “the most heinous, and most important, that we prosecute.”
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The crimes generally carry a potential sentence of 15 to 30 years in prison, Fox 19 Now reported.
Fletcher has at least two prior state convictions for crimes involving children, so he faces a potential range of 35 years to life in prison, Fox 19 Now reported, citing federal officials.