MINNEAPOLIS—Yesterday in federal court, a 24-year-old Hastings man was indicted for producing child pornography. Mark Matthew Cortes was charged with one count of production of child pornography. The indictment was filed on December 3, 2012.
According to the indictment, Cortes coerced a minor child to engage in sexually explicit conduct and produced a visual depiction of that conduct. Cortes allegedly distributed those digital image files through interstate and foreign commerce.
If convicted, Cortes faces a potential maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison, as well as possible fines and forfeitures. All sentences are ultimately determined by a federal district court judge.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp.
An indictment is a determination by a grand jury that there is probable cause to believe that offenses have been committed by a defendant. A defendant, of course, is presumed innocent until he or she pleads guilty or is proven guilty at trial.
