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Southern Minnesota Man Gets Life In Prison For Child Pornography, Sexually Exploiting Teenage Girl

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A southern Minnesota man was sentenced Friday to life in prison for sexually exploiting a 15-year-old girl and using her to produce child pornography.

The U.S. Attorney's Office District of Minnesota says 33-year-old Travis Mayer, of Albert Lea, was sentenced to life in prison plus 10 years.

"For years, this defendant victimized children by sexually exploiting them," Acting U.S. Attorney Charles J. Kovats said, in a statement. "Despite prior criminal convictions, Mayer continued his pattern of predatory behavior by exploiting, extorting, coercing, and threatening his minor victims. A sentence of life in prison is justified and ensures that he will never again victimize another child."

According to court documents, Mayer downloaded child pornography from a Russian-based distribution website in 2017. A year later, he sexually exploited a 15-year-old girl online, persuading and coercing her to produce child pornography, which he then distributed.

Investigators say that Mayer committed these crimes while he was required to register as a sex offender due to a prior third-degree criminal sexual conduct conviction.

Additionally, prosecutors say that Mayer attempted to obstruct justice in 2019 by asking a witness to lie.

In June, a federal jury convicted Mayer of five counts related to producing, possessing and distributing child pornography, one count of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of commenting a felony while required to register as a sex offender, and one count of obstruction of justice.

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