Alamogordo firefighter pleads guilty to production of child pornography

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Jason Ross-Lattion Fleming pled guilty to production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and providing child pornography to a minor. Fleming, 36, of Piñon, New Mexico will remain in custody pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.

According to the plea agreement and other court documents, from Feb. 2021 until Dec. 2013, Fleming persuaded a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing an image of that conduct with his cellphone. Beginning in January 2021 and continuing until March 2021, Fleming engaged in sexual contact with a nine-year-old he was babysitting. Fleming exposed himself to the child and provided her access to pornographic videos on his cellphone, including child pornography. Fleming offered the child Reese’s candy to entice her to engage in sexual acts.

On Dec. 9, 2021, New Mexico State Police (NMSP) executed a search warrant and seized two cellphones from Fleming. On April 18, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) obtained and executed a federal warrant to search the contents of Fleming’s phones. Investigators found child pornography on Fleming’s personal cellphone.

Fleming was a firefighter in Alamogordo, New Mexico, at the time of the offenses. The City of Alamogordo has terminated his employment.

Fleming faces a minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison for providing child pornography to a minor, and up to 30 years in prison for the production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Upon his release from prison, Fleming will be subject to at least five years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.

HSI investigated this case with assistance from NMSP, the Las Cruces Police Department, New Mexico State Police, and the Otero County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Marisa A. Ong and Matilda McCarthy Villalobos are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc/.

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