McDowell County Woman Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography

BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — In a shocking revelation from McDowell County, Lacosta Steele, 25, of Iaeger, has pleaded guilty to child pornography charges. According to the plea agreement and court statements, Steele admitted persuading a 12-year-old girl to engage in sexually explicit conduct, including masturbation and lascivious exhibition of her genitals, for the purpose of creating videos. These images were then sent to Steele’s then-boyfriend via her cell phone.

But the sinister acts did not end there. Steele also confessed to transporting the same 12-year-old girl to R.D. Bailey Lake, where her then-boyfriend engaged in sexual intercourse with the child. This heinous crime has left the community in shock and prompted a swift response from law enforcement.

Steele has been charged with distribution of child pornography and faces at least five years and up to 20 years in prison when she is sentenced on April 4, 2022. United States Attorney Will Thompson expressed gratitude to the West Virginia State Police and Homeland Security Investigations for their partnership in ensuring the defendant faced accountability for her crime against a vulnerable child.

Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing, with Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald handling the prosecution. The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information on Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release can be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information are available on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:21-cr-00187.