Former Grundy Center man pleads guilty to child exploitation, child pornography offenses

A man who sexually exploited a child pled guilty Wednesday in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Brandon Scott Baker, age 39, formerly from Grundy Center, was convicted of sexual exploitation of a child, transportation of a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity, and possession of child pornography.

At the plea hearing, Baker admitted that between 2011 and 2016, he used a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of the conduct. He also admitted that in December 2017, he transported a minor across a state line with the intent to engage in sexual exploitation of a child. Baker admitted that between 2011 and 2016, he possessed depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including of a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.

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 CEOS, 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 Justice.gov/PSC.

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Baker remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Baker faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years' imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, a $750,000 fine, $82,200 in special assessments, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Telluride, Colorado, Police Department, and the South Carolina Attorney General's Office.