An Orange County resident was convicted by a jury for federal child sexual exploitation crimes. The verdict was handed down to 38-year-old Jonathan Gonzalez-Reyes from Anaheim, who was charged with the criminal production, distribution, and possession of child pornography involving a 13-year-old victim.
Gonzalez-Reyes has been held in federal custody since June 2024. The convictions include one count of production of child pornography, two counts of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.
Evidence presented over a three-day trial revealed that in February 2021, Gonzalez-Reyes, along with co-defendant Nanci Jasmin Castillo, 32, also from Anaheim, befriended the underage victim. Court documents identified the girl as “Minor Victim 1.”
The court heard that Castillo and Gonzalez-Reyes committed the abuse at Castillo's home, providing the victim with alcohol following her consumption of Xanax, which caused her to drift in and out of consciousness. Both defendants documented the incident through photographs and videos.
An investigation involving Gonzalez-Reyes’ phone and Castillo’s iCloud account yielded child sexual abuse material (CSAM) related to the incident. Authorities also discovered evidence of Gonzalez-Reyes distributing copies of the CSAM to Castillo.
By September 2021, Gonzalez-Reyes was documented as using a cellphone to possess and distribute images of the minor engaged in explicit acts.
A sentencing hearing presided over by United States District Judge David O. Carter is set for July 28. Gonzalez-Reyes could face a minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in federal prison.
Similarly, Castillo, who also remains in federal custody since June 2024, admitted guilt on February 5 to one count of production of child pornography. Her sentencing, scheduled on the same day as Gonzalez-Reyes, carries potential penalties mirroring those faced by Gonzalez-Reyes.
The investigation was a collaborative effort involving the FBI and the Anaheim Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea Norell from the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Blake Hannah from the General Crimes Section.