Show-Me State Times

A man from Arkansas, Joseph D. Najera, has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to exchanging nude pictures with a minor for five years, starting when she was 12. Najera, 25, of Lincoln, Arkansas, admitted to one felony count of coercion and enticement of a minor.

According to his plea agreement, Najera and the victim met in 2017 via Kik Messenger. The victim, who was underage, was told by Najera to perform sex acts during video chats and create pornographic images and pictures. He also sent her pornographic videos via TextNow and Facebook Messenger. Najera had considerable control over the victim, setting up parental controls on her phone and dictating aspects of her appearance and behavior.

Najera and the victim discussed meeting in person but never did. He is set to be sentenced on June 27, with both sides recommending 10 years in prison.

The case was investigated by the FBI, the St. Charles County Cyber Crime Task Force, the St. Charles County Police Department, and the Montgomery City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson is prosecuting the case.

The prosecution of Najera is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood aims to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.