Fayetteville Woman Sentenced For Producing Child Pornography

WILMINGTON - United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court on February 22, 2013, in Wilmington, North Carolina, CATINA MARTELL, 38, of Fayetteville, North Carolina, was sentenced by Senior United States District Court Judge James C. Fox to 360 months imprisonment followed by a lifetime of supervised release.

On November 5, 2012, MARTELL pled guilty to one count of manufacturing/producing child pornography in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a) and (e).

“This case shows our ongoing determination to protect children in our community from those who prey on their innocence”, stated Mr. Walker.

Fayetteville Police discovered that in August of 2011, MARTELL had drugged a child and used the child to produce images of child pornography while the child was unconscious. Fayetteville Police Officers conducted a forensics review of MARTELL’S computer and found numerous images of child pornography.  Fayetteville Police then worked with Homeland Security Investigations to complete the investigation and confirm by a forensic examination of computer equipment MARTELL’S criminal conduct.  The Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations Office in Raleigh was contacted because it was determined that MARTELL was sharing the images internationally.

"This sentence serves as an unfortunate reminder that women can be involved in these sickening crimes, too,” said Brock D. Nicholson, special agent in charge of ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Atlanta. “While law enforcement agencies like HSI and the Fayetteville Police Department will continue to partner together to identify and arrest child predators, the sexual exploitation of children in our society is a growing problem that must be addressed by all levels of our communities."

This case is part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative, a national program aimed at ensuring that criminals exploiting children are effectively prosecuted by making full use of all available law enforcement resources at every level.  For more information about this important national initiative, go to www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Fayetteville Police Department, Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).  Assistant United States Attorneys Jay Exum and Leslie K. Cooley prosecuted this case for the United States, with the support and assistance of the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office.