Lancaster Man Who Fled Mid-Trial Found Guilty in Absentia of Producing, Enticing, and Receiving Child Sexual Abuse Material

LOS ANGELES - An Antelope Valley man has been found guilty in absentia of producing and receiving sexually explicit images of a teenage girl whom he had enticed to engage in criminal sexual activity, the Justice Department announced today.

Gregory Cole Jr., 30, of Lancaster, was found guilty late Thursday of one count of production of child pornography, one count of enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, and one count of receipt of child pornography.

Cole, who removed the location-monitoring unit from his ankle mid-trial and stopped appearing in court, is believed to be a fugitive. United States District Judge Percy Anderson issued a bench warrant and revoked Cole's bond.

According to evidence presented at a three-day trial, in March and April of 2024, Cole enticed the victim - a 16-year-old girl - to send him sexually explicit images of herself via direct messages on Instagram.

Law enforcement searched Cole's Instagram account and discovered he enticed the victim to create and send him CSAM. Cole demanded CSAM from the victim and sent her pornography of adult women in poses he wanted the victim to photograph herself in for him, which the victim did.

Cole deleted his Instagram account after the victim's mother discovered his messages with her daughter.

Cole faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The FBI investigated this matter.

Assistant United States Attorneys J'me K. Forrest and Derek R. Flores of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.