A Worcester man has pleaded guilty to charges related to the sexual exploitation of three minors. Antonio Merced, 28, admitted in federal court to three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman accepted the plea and scheduled sentencing for November 21, 2025. Merced remains in state custody on related offenses.
Authorities reported that in July 2024, Merced exposed two minor victims to pornography and sex toys. An investigation uncovered several videos he had produced involving minors. Merced acknowledged using three minors to create sexually explicit videos on multiple occasions during 2023 and 2024.
Merced was arrested in September 2024 and faced charges in Worcester District Court including dissemination of obscene material to a minor, open and gross lewdness, dissemination of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), intimidation, enticing a child under 16, and aggravated rape of a child.
The charge of sexual exploitation of a minor carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison with the possibility of up to 30 years, lifetime supervised release, and fines up to $250,000. Possession of child pornography can result in up to 20 years imprisonment as well as similar supervised release terms and fines. Sentences are determined by federal judges based on guidelines and statutes governing criminal cases.
“United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Worcester Police Chief Paul B. Saucier made the announcement today.”
“Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.”
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood—a national initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at fighting child sexual exploitation through collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies to apprehend offenders and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
