Pasadena man pleads guilty to sexual exploitation of minors and producing child pornography

Gary Hammond Jackson III, a 32-year-old resident of Pasadena, Maryland, pleaded guilty to federal charges of sexual exploitation of a minor and committing a crime involving a minor while a registered sex offender.

The request, made by U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron, was the result of a joint investigation by the FBI Baltimore Field Office, the Maryland State Police and the Anne Arundel County District Attorney’s Office.

Details of the abuse

According to court documents, Jackson sexually abused two underage girls, ages 6 and 3, in 2020 and 2022. In November 2020, Jackson used his cellphone to record the abuse of the 6-year-old victim. Further sexual abuse of the same child occurred in 2020, leading to Jackson’s conviction on state charges of fourth-degree sex offense and second-degree assault. He was subsequently required to register as a sex offender after his release.

In November 2022, while still a registered sex offender, Jackson produced explicit images of a second victim, who was three years old. Detectives searching Jackson’s home discovered more than 1,500 files of child pornography on multiple digital devices.

Conviction and legal implications

Jackson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a minor. He also faces a mandatory sentence of 10 years for committing a crime with a minor while a registered sex offender. Sentences for federal crimes often result in sentences that are less than the maximum allowable sentences.

Safe Childhood Initiative Project

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide effort led by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in 2006, the initiative brings together federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute offenders and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/psc. Information about Internet safety education can be found under the “Resources” tab on the same site.