United States Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland

01/23/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/23/2025 10:32

Baltimore Man Faces Federal Indictment for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material

Press Release

Baltimore Man Faces Federal Indictment for Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material

Thursday, January 23, 2025
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Maryland

Baltimore, Maryland - A federal grand jury returned an indictment, charging Jose Adan Lopez-Guevara, 37, of Baltimore, with five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and possession of child sexual abuse material.

Erek L. Barron, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP); Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department; and Prince George's County State's Attorney Aisha Braveboy.

According to the indictment, the defendant persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a minor male to engage in sexually explicit conduct so that a visual depiction could be produced and transmitted. Law enforcement allegedly found Lopez-Guevara in possession of child sex abuse material on December 12, 2024.

If convicted, Lopez-Guevara faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each of the five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor. Additionally, he's looking at a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt, so an individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless they are proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.

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. Led by the United States Attorney's Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education n, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.

U.S. Attorney Barron commended HSI, MSP, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Prince George's County State's Attorney's Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow who is prosecuting the federal case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Contact

Kevin Nash
[email protected]
410-209-4946

Updated January 23, 2025
Topic
Project Safe Childhood
Component