Rochester Man With Child Porn Conviction Admits Guilt in New Case
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Rochester man who was convicted of possessing child pornography last year has now entered into a plea agreement involving allegations that he sent sexually explicit messages to a man posing online as a juvenile girl.
Rochester Man Admits to Dissemination and Possession of Child Pornography
34-year-old Matthew Gene Marquardt was charged in July with dissemination of child sexual abuse material, possession of pornographic work with a prior conviction, and distributing material describing sexual conduct with a child via electronic communication. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Marquardt has pleaded guilty to the dissemination charge and possession of child pornography with a prior conviction.
READ MORE: Rochester Man on Probation for Child Porn Faces New Charges
Cyber Tips From Man Posing Online as Juvenile Girl
The criminal complaint says Rochester police received multiple cyber tips regarding an adult who was sending sexually explicit images to a TikTok account. The man who operated the account told investigators that he does not initiate conversations but reports accounts belonging to adults who solicit him for sexually explicit material. According to the court document, Marquardt allegedly messaged the account in April and was informed that it belonged to a 13-year-old girl.
Court Documents Detailed Allegations
Marquardt allegedly sent a photo of himself, followed by what he claimed was an AI-generated video depicting child pornography. He was also accused of later sending sexually explicit photos and videos of himself and asking the fake teenager to send him sexually explicit images of herself.
Sentenced to Probation For Prior Conviction
Court records indicate Marquardt was convicted of five counts of possession of child pornography last October and was sentenced to five years of probation, with a 120-month prison sentence stayed.
READ MORE: Rochester Man Admits to Multiple Child Pornography Charges
He is scheduled to be sentenced for his new convictions in March. The plea agreement suggests a prison sentence is likely, with prosecutors agreeing to cap their recommendation at 15-years.
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Gallery Credit: Lauren Wells
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