A grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Mario Lopez Lopez, 34, of Elyria, with receiving and distributing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and with possessing child pornography, said Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. McDonough following an investigation by the FBI Cleveland Field Office, Elyria Resident Agency.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.