Date: 11-18-2016

Case Style:

Case Number: 6:16-cr-00196-RP

Judge: Robert Pitman

Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Texas (McLennan County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Greg Gloff

Defendant's Attorney:

Zach Boyd

Description: Waco, TX - Rockdale Woman Sentenced to Fifty Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child

39-year-old Charlotte Horelica of Rockdale, TX, was sentenced to a total of 600 months in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child and for distribution of child pornography announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

During today’s sentencing hearing, United States District Judge Robert Pitman sentenced Horelica to 360 months in prison for the sexual exploitation of a child and 240 months in prison for distributing child pornography. Both sentences are to run consecutively. Judge Pitman also ordered that Horelica pay $10,000 to the Victims of Trafficking Fund and be placed on supervised release for a period of five years after completing her prison term.

On August 30, 2016, Horelica pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of distributing child pornography. By pleading guilty, Horelica admitted that beginning in March 2016, she permitted a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of the conduct, knowing the depictions would be transported in interstate and foreign commerce. Horelica also admitted that she knowingly distributed images and videos depicting child pornography.

In May 2016, Rockdale authorities arrested Horelica after child pornography images were found on a phone in Horelica’s possession. A subsequent forensics examination of seized materials, including several cell phones belonging to the defendant, revealed the presence of child pornography. Horelica has remained in custody since her arrest.

This investigation was conducted by the Texas Attorney General’s Office – Child Exploitation Unit with the assistance of the Rockdale Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Greg Gloff prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.

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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Outcome: Defendant was sentenced to a total of 600 months in federal prison.

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

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