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Capitol Hills resident Verena May Mathis was indicted this week for crimes that include the sexual exploitation of a child and for sex trafficking the minor, according to prosecutors on Thursday.
According to the two-count indictment, on Dec. 5, 2020, Mathis produced sexually explicit images of a minor victim and used the juvenile to engage in a commercial sex act, "in reckless disregard of the fact that the victim was less than 14 years of age."
Mathis found herself under the microscope when investigators were searching the files of Baltimore resident Edward Golden, who was wanted in a separate child exploitation case.
While probing Golden, officials say that they found a video allegedly depicting Mathis and a minor, prompting Maryland State Police to release redacted photos to the public, leading to a tip that resulted in her arrest.
If convicted, Mathis faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and up to 30 years behind bars for the sexual exploitation of a child, and up to life for child sex trafficking.
She is expected to have an initial appearance in a Baltimore court later this year. Mathis has been detained since her arrest in February.
Golden was charged in a 160-count indictment with conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child, sexual exploitation of children, child sex trafficking, and receipt and possession of child pornography.
It is alleged he would communicate with women " arrange for the creation of depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct."
He also faces a lifetime in prison.
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