A Riverside County man has entered a guilty plea after being charged with the production of child pornography, originating from contacts made through an online gaming platform. According to a press release from the Department of Justice, John Mathew Piecuch, 64, from Hemet, will be facing a mandatory minimum of 15 years in federal prison, with the potential for up to 30 years.
Piecuch was arrested in August 2021 and has remained in custody since then. Court documents detail how Piecuch, posing as a 13-year-old boy, befriended a 12-year-old girl on the popular gaming site Roblox. Through a series of text exchanges that began in January 2021, he manipulated the minor, identified only as "Minor Victim 1," into sending sexually explicit images of herself and a 5-year-old relative, known as "Minor Victim 2." The perpetrator's actions were discovered when the mother of Minor Victim 1 encountered questionable text messages on her daughter's mobile device and alerted authorities.
"This defendant has admitted his despicable acts and now will face a significant prison sentence," declared United States Attorney Martin Estrada in a statement obtained by Justice Department press release. He stressed the importance of parents' vigilance regarding their children's online interactions, highlighting the insidious ways predators exploit internet anonymity to commit harmful offenses.
The case unfolded with the cooperation between the FBI and the Carroll County (Maryland) Sheriff's Office. The sentencing, set for October 25, will be overseen by United States District Judge John W. Holcomb. Assistant United States Attorney Sonah Lee of the Riverside Branch Office is tasked with the prosecution of the case.
Contact information for those requiring further details or wishing to provide information related to the case is available through Public Information Officer Ciaran McEvoy, with an email address of [email protected] and phone number (213) 894-4465 as listed in the Justice Department's announcement.
