Oakdale man indicted on federal charges of attempted sexual exploitation of minors
A 37-year-old Oakdale man has been indicted on federal charges alleging he produced sexually explicit images of two minors, federal prosecutors announced Thursday.
Gonzalo Hernandez was charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith. The indictment was unsealed after Hernandez was arrested.
Court documents allege that between August 2021 and November 2023, Hernandez produced images of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Prosecutors also said that in March of this year, Hernandez persuaded a second minor to produce similar conduct.
If convicted, Hernandez faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and up to 30 years on each count, as well as a $250,000 fine. The final sentence would be determined by a federal judge after considering sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Oakdale Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shelley D. Weger is prosecuting.
The charges are part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Anyone with information about this case or other possible victims is encouraged to contact law enforcement.
