Tip leads to arrest of Maryland woman wanted for sexually abusing infant
WASHINGTON - A Maryland woman has been indicted for sexual exploitation of a child and child sex trafficking after she was allegedly seen in a video that depicted the sexual abuse of an infant.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment on March 5 charging 24-year-old Verena May Mathis, a Capitol Heights woman, for producing sexually explicit images of a minor victim and using the minor to engage in a commercial sex act.
Authorities say the video that led to these charges was produced in December 2020 and the victim is believed to be four or five years old now.
A $14,000 reward was offered up in February to anyone who could help identify Mathis, who has distinctive tattoos on her chest arms and hands.
A public tip helped lead to her arrest, which occurred on Feb. 15. She has been detained since then and is expected to have her first appearance in a Baltimore court soon. If convicted, Mathis faces a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison for the sexual exploitation charge and 15 years to life for child sex trafficking.
According to court documents, the search for Mathis began after investigators found the video during a search of the online accounts of Edward Golden, a defendant in a separate child exploitation case.
Golden, 38, is charged in a 160-count second superseding indictment with conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child, sexual exploitation of children, child sex trafficking, and receipt and possession of child pornography.
The indictment against Golden alleges that he communicated with women to arrange for the creation of depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. If convicted, he faces up to life in federal prison.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Maryland State Police, the Baltimore Police Department and the Howard County Police Department worked together to investigate the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn is prosecuting.