A Mexican citizen has pleaded guilty to producing child pornography in the Western District of New York, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo. Victor Francisco Lucas, 32, from Vera Cruz, Mexico, entered his plea before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan K. Glaberson stated that Lucas began communicating with a 12-year-old minor from out of state on January 3, 2025, using TikTok, text messages, phone calls, and video calls over a period of about two weeks. "During these communications, Lucas, who claimed to be a 13-year-old boy, requested and directed the minor victim to produce sexually explicit images and send the images to him by text message," Glaberson said. "Also, during these communications, Lucas engaged in sexually explicit live stream facetime video calls with the minor victim."
Investigators found material constituting child pornography on Lucas’s cell phone as well as multiple chat conversations with other minors that included sexually graphic content and exchanges involving child pornography.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Niagara County Sheriff’s Office.
Sentencing is set for May 18, 2026 before Judge Vilardo.
