Marcus Xavier Anguiano, 31, and his wife, Maddie Rhea Anguiano, 29 (Source: Lubbock County Jail)
LUBBOCK, Texas - A federal jury has convicted a Lubbock couple of multiple federal offenses after evidence showed they conspired to secretly record a young family member and distribute child sexual abuse material, federal officials announced Monday.
Marcus and Maddie Anguiano found guilty
What we know:
Marcus Xavier Anguiano, 31, and his wife, Maddie Rhea Anguiano, 29, were found guilty on Nov. 4 following a multi-day trial before U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix.
The charges include conspiracy to produce and attempt to produce child pornography, production and attempted production of child pornography, and receipt and distribution of child pornography.
The backstory:
Trial testimony revealed that in June 2018, Maddie Anguiano secretly filmed a young girl being bathed at a house in Lubbock. She then sent the footage via Facebook Messenger to Marcus Anguiano, who was stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.
Special agents with the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) seized Marcus Anguiano’s phone at the base in August 2019. A forensic review by the Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center uncovered dozens of screenshots and media files from the livestreamed transmission, along with electronic messages discussing hidden cameras, secret recordings, and methods to conceal the media.
What they're saying:
"We convicted these two predators, who elected to go to trial, after they exploited their own family members to produce child pornography," Ryan Raybould, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, said in a statement. "The evidence presented at trial revealed a calculated scheme to secretly record a child and distribute those images."
"When agencies combine their expertise and resources, they can expose those who harm children and ensure they are held responsible for their crimes," said Cathy Close, AFOSI Public Affairs Director.
R. Joseph Rothrock, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Dallas Field Office, emphasized the agency's commitment to bringing creators and distributors of child sexual abuse material to justice alongside partner agencies.
What's next:
Both defendants face a statutory maximum of up to 80 years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 25, 2027.
The Source: Information in this article is from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Texas.