Sacramento Man Indicted for Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Distribution and Possession of Child Pornography

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On Sept. 14, 2023, a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment against Bruce Anthony Garcia, 41, of Sacramento, charging him with the attempted sexual exploitation of a minor and distribution and possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, between Aug. 2, 2017, and Sept. 1, 2019, Garcia attempted to sexually exploit a minor by producing visual depictions of the minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In June 2022, Garcia distributed child pornography, and in January 2023, Garcia was found in possession of child pornography.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Garcia faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of up to 30 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine for attempted sexual exploitation of a minor; a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000 for distribution of child pornography; and a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 for possession of child pornography. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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. 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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.