NORFOLK, Va. — A Virginia Beach man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to production and distribution of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, from at least 2020 through March 2023, Thomas Cervantes, 24, used social media applications to manipulate and coerce minors to create sexually explicit images that he could then distribute online.
In one instance, Cervantes offered money to a minor to initially induce her to create a sexually explicit video of her, according to a press release. When she expressed reluctance to create more sexually explicit materials for Cervantes, he threatened to send the images to her family members if she did not comply.
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Cervantes was also found to have enticed and coerced other minors. In one instance, Cervantes shared a video on social media of himself assaulting a minor, according to the press release.
Cervantes is scheduled to be sentenced on April 25. Although he faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
