ORLANDO, Fla. — An Orlando man pleaded guilty to enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and production of child sexual abuse material following a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigation.
Theron Charles Lord, 36, faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years and up to life in federal prison for the production offense and a minimum mandatory penalty of 10 years and up to life for the enticement offense. Lord has also agreed to forfeit the cellphone he used in the commission of the offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Lord and a 15-year-old child victim met online and began messaging on social media platforms. The messages quickly became sexual in nature and spanned from March until August 2022. In April 2022, Lord drove to meet the victim for the first time and sexually abused the victim. Between April and November 2022, the victim and Lord met in person at least six times and sexual abuse occurred at each meeting. During these meetings, Lord recorded videos of the sexual abuse. Additionally, Lord caused the victim to record and send him specific videos of child sexual abuse.
This case was investigated by HSI Orlando and the Rockledge Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaley Austin-Aronson.
To report any information about human trafficking, child sexual abuse, or the trafficking in child sexual abuse material contact the HSI Tip Line at 877-4-HSI-TIP or report it through the CyberTipline on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s website.