Orlando Man Pleads Guilty To Enticement Of A Minor To Engage In Sexual Activity And Production Of Child Sexual Abuse Materials

Orlando, Florida - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Theron Charles Lord (36, Orlando) has pleaded guilty to enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and production of child sexual abuse materials. Lord faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison for the production offense and a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison for the enticement offense. Lord has also agreed to forfeit the cellphone that was used in the commission of the offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, Lord and a 15-year-old child victim (CV) met online and began messaging on social media platforms. The messages quickly became sexual in nature and spanned from March until August 2022. In April 2022, Lord drove to meet the CV for the first time and engaged in sexual abuse of the CV. Between April and November 2022, the CV and Lord met in person at least six times and sexual abuse occurred at each meeting. During these meetings, Lord recorded videos of the sexual abuse. Additionally, Lord caused the CV to record and send him specific videos of child sexual abuse material.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Rockledge Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.