A 50-year-old South Carolina man was convicted last week on federal charges for producing child pornography and traveling to Louisiana to have sex with a 15-year-old girl. Frankie Maldonado of Reeseville, S.C., was found guilty by a federal jury in Alexandria, Louisiana, on two counts of production of child pornography and one count of traveling in interstate commerce to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.
The trial, which lasted two days, concluded on January 4 with the jury deliberating for just an hour and a half before returning a guilty verdict. U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell presided over the proceedings. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Luke Walker and Jamilla A. Bynog.
According to evidence presented in court, Maldonado began exchanging messages with the teenage girl in June 2014. The girl’s father was a friend of Maldonado’s, a connection he exploited to gain access to the minor. Maldonado sent her sexually explicit images of himself via text message and then demanded she send similar photos in return.
On June 22, 2014, Maldonado crossed state lines, arriving in Louisiana where he picked up the juvenile, took her to a motel, and proceeded to take sexually explicit photos of her. He also engaged in sexual activity with the minor during the encounter, authorities confirmed.
Maldonado now faces a sentence of 15 to 30 years in prison for each child pornography count and up to 30 years for the travel charge—potentially totaling life-altering prison time. He also faces a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and the lifelong requirement to register as a sex offender. Sentencing is scheduled for March 24, 2017.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, Louisiana State Police, and the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office. The case falls under Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative targeting child sexual exploitation. The public is urged to report suspected predators via ICE’s hotline at (866) 347-2423 or through the Operation Predator app.
Related Federal Cases
- Greer Man Pleads Guilty to Child Porn Charges · South Carolina
- Alton Davis Pleads Guilty to Child Porn Possession · South Carolina
- Fountain Inn Man Pleads Guilty to Child Porn Charges · South Carolina
- Richard Wallace Heald III Pleads Guilty to Child Porn Charges · South Carolina
- Favela Gets 30 Years for Child Sex Abuse · South Carolina
Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Sex CrimesSex CrimesSex CrimesSex Crimes