A Red Bluff resident has been indicted on federal charges related to the sexual exploitation of children and the distribution of explicit material involving minors. Ricardo Gutierrez, 27, faces allegations that include using children to create videos of sexually explicit conduct, and sharing images and videos of prepubescent children, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith reported that Gutierrez is charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of distributing explicit images of minors. The charges cover actions from November 2023 to July 2024. The indictment was unsealed after his arrest. Gutierrez is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Gutierrez is accused of producing exploitative videos involving at least four children in April 2024. If convicted of sexual exploitation, he faces 15 to 30 years in prison, lifetime supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. For distribution charges, the sentence ranges from five to 20 years. The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitnee Goins as part of Project Safe Childhood, a national effort started in 2006 to address child sexual exploitation and abuse, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
