FRESNO - Anthony Rodriguez, aka Anthony Rito Lara, 34, of Modesto, pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of a minor, Acting U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced. According to court documents, in September and October 2020, Rodriguez used a cellphone to create approximately 49 videos and 51 images of a child under 12 years old engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Rodriguez distributed some of these videos over the internet, including one video in which he engages in a sex act with the child.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Modesto Police Department, and assistance was provided by the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura D. Withers and Alexandre M. Dempsey are prosecuting the case.