Modesto man gets 45-year sentence for recording child molestation, distributing video

A Modesto man was sentenced to 45 years in prison on Thursday for the sexual exploitation of a minor under the age of 12, according to the US Attorney’s Office.

Anthony Rodriguez, aka Anthony Rito Lara, 34, of Modesto, pleaded guilty in May to the crimes that occurred during September and October 2020, according to court documents.

Rodriguez used a cellphone to create approximately 49 videos and 51 images of the child engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Rodriguez distributed some of these videos over the internet, including one video in which he engaged in a sex act with the child, according to the US Attorney’s Office.

The case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Modesto Police Department with assistance from the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandre M. Dempsey prosecuted the case.