FRESNO, Calif. – A federal grand jury has returned a two-count indictment against Todd Eric Mumma, 57, of Fresno, charging him with actual and attempted sexual exploitation of a minor and receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced today.
According to court documents, Mumma used hidden digital video recording devices in a residence to create sexually explicit images of a minor. He edited recordings on a computer and then transferred selected images onto a cellphone where the images were stored in a password‑protected application. Forensic review of devices seized with a search warrant revealed images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct that had been downloaded onto a computer.
The investigation was conducted by the Central Valley Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, specifically Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Fresno County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Mumma faces a minimum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum of 30 years in prison for the count of sexual exploitation of a minor and a minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison for the receipt of child pornography and a fine of up to $250,000 for both counts. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.