U.S. Department
of Justice
Press Release
New Jersey Couple Indicted For Producing, Distributing, And Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Middle District of Florida
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of a five-count indictment charging Michael Taylor, Jr. (27, New Jersey) and Alexandria Stevens (20, New Jersey) with producing, distributing, and receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM). If convicted, Taylor and Stevens each face a minimum mandatory penalty of 15, up to 30 years, in federal prison for the production offense, and a minimum mandatory penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment, up to 20 years, for the distribution and receipt offenses.
According to court documents, while visiting Florida in November 2023, Taylor and Stevens produced CSAM with an 8-year-old child. Using the internet, Taylor and Stevens also exchanged images of CSAM. Taylor and Stevens were both arrested in New Jersey on March 27, 2024. They are currently in custody pending the resolution of the criminal case.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Updated April 11, 2024
Topic
Project Safe Childhood
Component