SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a Mexican national has been indicted by a federal grand jury for using a minor to produce child pornography as well as for illegally entering the United States.

Jose J. Lazalde-Gonzalez, 30, a citizen of Mexico residing in Monett, Mo., was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2011.

The federal indictment alleges that Lazalde-Gonzalez used a minor, who is not identified, to produce child pornography on Aug. 16, 2011. Lazalde-Gonzalez is also charged with being in possession of child pornography.

The federal indictment also charges Lazalde-Gonzalez with illegally reentering the United States after having been deported.

Phillips cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, the Monett, Mo., Police Department, and the Joplin, Mo., Police Department.

Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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