The man faces a maximum sentence of 90 years in federal prison.
Baltimore, Maryland – Eugene Edward Golden, age 37, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty Thursday, March 21, 2024, to conspiracy to commit sexual exploitation of a child and to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child in order to produce and transmit a visual depiction of the sexually explicit conduct.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) Baltimore; Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland State Police (“MSP”); Chief Gregory Der of the Howard County Police Department; and Commissioner Richard Worley of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, beginning in at least 2019, Golden located several females, specifically six co-defendants, using dating or prostitution websites, and communicated with each of them individually using texts, messaging applications and social media. Golden requested that each of the women produce sexually explicit videos and images of children, citing he has a fetish, and then to send those files to Golden in exchange for financial compensation.
Golden’s co-defendants agreed to his requests and produced and distributed sexually explicit images and videos of at least 12 minor victims, using their cellphones. The victims ranged in age from approximately one year old to13 years old. Images and videos documenting the sexual abuse were found in Golden’s online accounts. Golden produced and received well over 100 images and videos documenting the sexual abuse of children at his request.
Golden faces a maximum sentence of 90 years in federal prison, a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison for each of the three counts. U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox has not set a date for sentencing.
As detailed in Golden’s plea agreement, upon his release from prison, the man will be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”).