IGH Man Sentenced To 15 Years For Making Child Pornography

INVER GROVE HEIGHTS, MN — An Inver Grove Heights man was sentenced Tuesday to 180 months, or 15 years, in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release for taking sexual images of a minor, according to a news release from the United States Attorney's Office in the District of Minnesota.

Antonio Eric Torres Maldonado, 34, admitted to officials to sexually abusing a minor over multiple years and taking sexual photos of the minor on his phone, according to officials.

In April, Maldonado pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of production and attempted production of child pornography, officials said. He was also convicted of first degree criminal sexual conduct in Dakota County and sentenced to 172 months in prison, which will be served at the same time as his federal sentence, officials said.

This case was a result of an investigation conducted by Lakeville Police Department and the FBI, officials said. It was also part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative that began in 2006 to combat growing numbers of child exploitation and abuse, officials said.

Maldonado was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela M. Munoz and sentenced by U.S. District Judge Susan Richard Nelson, according to the news release.