Roundup man admits coercing minor girl to produce sexually explicit images

BILLINGS — A Roundup man today admitted allegations that he coerced a minor girl into producing sexually explicit images of herself after providing the girl with a laptop, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

Marshall Vincent Lucas, 42, pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement. Lucas faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to a lifetime in prison, a $250,000 fine and at least five years of supervised release. 

U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. A sentencing date will be set before U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Lucas was released pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that in September 2021, Lucas provided the victim, Jane Doe 1, who is under the age of 16 years, with a laptop for purposes of communicating with her. Lucas had met Jane Doe 1 through her mother. Lucas began to correspond with Jane Doe 1 using an alias. Through electronic and in-person communications, Lucas asked Jane Doe 1 how she felt about him and requested nude pictures of her. Lucas persisted, and Jane Doe 1 ultimately provided him with nude pictures of herself that she produced as his direction. Lucas also sent Jane Doe 1 nude pictures of himself and instructed her to delete electronic communications between them.  

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno B. Baucus is prosecuting the case, which was investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

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