WASHINGTON, D.C. — A 35-year-old former Navy employee pleaded guilty on Tuesday to the production, transportation and possession of child pornography with multiple victims, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
According to the admissions made in connection with a plea agreement, Spencer Eugene Steckman of Silver Spring, enticed a 13-year-old boy between August 17, 2017 and September 22, 2017 to take and send photographs of the boy engaged in sexually explicit conduct in exchange for money and video-game codes.
Between the dates of September 24, 2017 and December 4, 2017, Steckman lured another 13-year-old boy to send sexually explicit photographs in exchange for an iPhone.
Officials say that after moving to Japan in mid-November 2017, he transported and possessed child pornography. He was detained in Japan on March 27, 2018 and transported back to Maryland.
Following further investigation, officials found that Steckman had lured eight other victims to produce child pornography between 2008 to 2010 while residing in San Diego. The U.S. Attorney's Office says the victims ranged from 12 to 17 years old.
As part of a plea agreement, Steckman will be required to register as a sex offender, and if the Court accepts his plea, he will be sentenced to between 25 and 45 years in federal prison.
Steckman is scheduled to be sentenced on November 7, 2019.
