Roxanne Merrell, a 35-year-old woman from Cottage Grove, Minnesota, has been accused of producing child pornography. According to a federal indictment, Merrell was offered $100,000 to take photos of a minor ‘below the waist’ and nude, which she allegedly took while the child was sleeping.
The photographs were discovered in North Dakota on the computer of a known sex offender. Merrell’s hands appeared in at least one such photograph, and she was identified as the producer and sender of the images.
Merrell made her initial appearance in United States District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota, earlier today. She is charged with two counts of Production of Child Pornography.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006. The initiative marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katharine T. Buzicky is prosecuting the case. The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Cottage Grove Police Department.
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and Merrell is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Roxanne Merrell, 35, is a resident of Cottage Grove, Minnesota. The charges against her include:
– Production of Child Pornography, 2 counts
The case is ongoing, and no sentencing date has been set. The outcome of the case will be determined in the coming months.
Related Federal Cases
- Markeace Arque Canty, Sex Trafficking of a Child, Minnesota 2013 · Alaska
- Calvin Bernhardt, Child Porn, Arkansas 2023 · Montana
- Kelly J. Rosemore, Child Enticement and Sex Abuse, Wisconsin 2025 · Montana
- Landon Iron Thunder, Abusive Sexual Contact, South Dakota 2014 · North Dakota
- Jess Harlan Mallo, Possession of Materials Depicting the Sexual Exploitation of Children, North Dakota 2018 · North Dakota
Key Facts
- State: Minnesota
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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