MINNEAPOLIS—A Hastings man has pleaded guilty to producing child pornography, a federal crime that carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. Mark Matthew Cortes, 24, pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography in U.S. District Court before Judge Ann D. Montgomery.
According to the court documents, Cortes admitted to persuading a minor under the age of 12 to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing images on his cellular telephone in November 2011. He also admitted to transferring the images to his computer and distributing them to another person. Additionally, Cortes admitted to committing a sexual act with the victim during the production.
The case is the result of an investigation by the Minnesota Child Exploitation Task Force, sponsored by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp is prosecuting the case.
The production of child pornography is a serious crime that can have devastating consequences for victims. In addition to prosecuting these cases, the government is funding a study to examine the correlation between involvement in child pornography and hands-on sexual abuse of children.
A 2008 study published in the Journal of Family Violence found that up to 80 percent of federal inmates incarcerated for possession, receipt, or distribution of child pornography also admitted to hands-on sexual abuse of children, ranging from touching to rape.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc/.
Mark Matthew Cortes is scheduled to be sentenced at a future hearing, the date of which has not been set. His plea agreement will determine the sentence, and he faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison for his crime.
As a society, we must work together to prevent child sexual exploitation and abuse. If you or someone you know is a victim of child pornography or sexual abuse, please contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org or call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.
Related Federal Cases
- Mark Matthew Cortes, Child Pornography Production, Minnesota 2013 · Minnesota
- Benjamin Joseph Roggenbuck, Child Pornography Production, Minnesota · Minnesota
- Dylan Matthew Deling, Child Pornography Production, MN 2019 · Minnesota
- Douglas Luke Robinette, Production of Child Pornography, Minnesota 2013 · Minnesota
- Frank Earle Noyes III, Child Pornography Production and Enticement,… · Minnesota
Key Facts
- State: Minnesota
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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