Gary Rocky Jones, Child Exploitation, Maryland 2023

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Chief U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III, sentenced Gary Rocky Jones, 43, of Baltimore, Maryland, to life in federal prison followed by lifetime supervised release, for the sexual exploitation of 16 minors.

Already a twice-convicted sex offender, Jones was found guilty in September 2023 of 27 counts of sexually exploiting a child. Additionally, Jones was convicted of 15 counts of using an interstate commerce facility — specifically the internet — to entice a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, commissioning a felony crime involving a minor by a registered sex offender, and distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material.

According to the evidence presented at trial, between 2014 and 2015, twice, Jones produced images and videos of a minor male — who was 14 to 15 years old at the time — engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Additionally, as detailed during the trial, from September 2018 through August 2020, Jones used social media accounts to persuade, entice, and coerce an additional 15 minor males, who were from several different states and ranged from eight to 17 years old, to engage in sexually explicit conduct.

During these internet-based communications, Jones convinced the victims to produce livestreamed and recorded visual depictions of themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct, alone and with others. Then Jones had the boys send him the sexually explicit images and videos via the internet.

On April 2, 2018, Jones used a social media account to distribute child sexual abuse material. Additionally, from December 2, 2014, through January 31, 2020, and from May 29, 2017, through July 14, 2020, respectively, Jones possessed child sexual abuse material, in connection with two separate email addresses and related storage accounts.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI Baltimore Field Office and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Budlow and Colleen E. McGuinn, who are prosecuting the case.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/baltimore-man-sentenced-federal-prison-sexually-exploiting-16-children