WORCESTER – A local man with pending state charges for aggravated rape of a child now faces new federal charges for allegedly filming himself sexually assaulting two minor victims.
Local official arrested Antonio Merced, 26, of Worcester, in September and charges in Worcester District Court with three charges of dissemination of obscene material to a minor, and single counts of open and gross lewdness and lascivious behavior, dissemination of Child sexual abuse material (CSAM), intimidation, enticing a child under 16 and two counts of aggravated rape of a child.
Merced remains in state custody.
Thge U.S. Attorney’s office for the District of Massachusetts charged Merced with sexual exploitation of a minor. He allegedly created the recording in July.
The federal charge of sexual exploitation of a minor provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
Editor’s note: The information provided in this report is based on events as described by the U.S. Department of Justice. The claims within are allegations which may be challenged by the accused in court.
