Alexander Witt Pleads Guilty to Producing Child Pornography

A 30-year-old Louisiana man has admitted to producing child pornography after manipulating a minor into performing sexual acts and recording them. Alexander Witt, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday in Richmond, Virginia, to one count of production of child pornography, marking a grim milestone in a case that began nearly a decade ago.

Court documents reveal that starting in or about 2009, Witt exploited a minor by persuading the child to engage in explicit sexual activity. He photographed the victim both nude and during sexual acts, then went further—filming himself committing those acts with the child. The digital evidence, preserved for years, became the foundation of a federal prosecution that culminated in his guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge David J. Novak.

Witt now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison, with a maximum penalty of 30 years. Sentencing is scheduled for August 15. While federal judges often impose sentences below the statutory maximum, the severity of the crime and the lasting harm to the victim will weigh heavily during deliberations. The U.S. District Court will consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors before imposing judgment.

The case was prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood, the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation. Spearheaded by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), the operation coordinates federal, state, and local law enforcement to hunt down predators, dismantle networks, and rescue victims of online child abuse.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David W. Archey, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, confirmed the plea. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather H. Mansfield and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Eugene Fishel, who emphasized the importance of holding predators like Witt accountable.

Public records, including the indictment and related filings, are available through the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or via PACER under Case No. 3:19-cr-5. The U.S. Attorney’s Office has published a copy of the official press release on its website, underscoring the federal government’s ongoing commitment to targeting those who sexually exploit children.

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