Portsmouth woman sentenced to 15 years for her role in child pornography conspiracy

NORFOLK, Va. — A Portsmouth woman was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for production of child pornography. The sentence resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

According to court documents, Nina Renee Calderon, 23, became involved in a conspiracy to produce child pornography when she was contacted by co-conspirator Robert Harold Scott Jr. under his online identity of "Mike Pyro." Scott routinely communicated with women in and around Hampton Roads to set up sex parties, where the women were supposed to work as prostitutes, and he was supposed to pay them for their services. In reality, Scott did not pay them, and at times, extorted the women by threatening to publish sexually explicit videos they had created.

In addition to the adult parties, Scott conspired and produced child pornography with several different women, including Calderon. Law enforcement found that when discussing the sex parties Scott would request these women produce child pornography. He was very specific regarding the sex acts he wanted on camera. Calderon complied in return for the promise of money by producing child pornography with a 2-year-old female child.

Calderon pleaded guilty May 7.

This investigation was conducted under HSI's Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 10,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2013, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.

HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.