BALTIMORE, MD – August 22, 2026 (STL.News) Child Exploitation Case – A federal jury has convicted a Colorado man on multiple child exploitation charges after prosecutors said he and his wife sexually abused a young child in Mexico, recorded the abuse, and later advertised videos for sale on the dark web.
Alekzander Quinn Bywater, 32, formerly of Colorado Springs, was convicted following a federal trial in Maryland, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
The Justice Department said the jury found Bywater guilty of five federal charges: conspiracy to produce visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct outside the United States, two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, distribution of child sexual abuse material, commonly referred to as CSAM, and advertising CSAM.
Bywater faces a maximum potential sentence of 150 years in federal prison. As of the Justice Department’s announcement, no sentencing date had been set.
The maximum penalty does not mean Bywater will receive a 150-year sentence. A federal district judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors required under federal law.
Child Exploitation Case – Prosecutors detail abuse in Mexico
According to the Justice Department, Bywater and his wife, Anika Bywater, were living in Veracruz, Mexico, when the crimes occurred.
Federal prosecutors said the couple created two videos depicting themselves sexually abusing a prepubescent child.
Authorities learned of the recordings after the videos circulated online, according to court records and information previously released by federal prosecutors.
The government’s investigation ultimately linked Alekzander Bywater to producing and distributing the material online.
According to evidence described by the Justice Department, FBI agents recovered the two videos from a desktop computer and laptop used in connection with the offenses. Investigators also found another video depicting Bywater abusing the same child, as well as thousands of images and videos containing child sexual abuse material involving other children.
The evidence federal prosecutors presented went beyond possession of illegal material. The criminal case centered on allegations that Bywater participated directly in the sexual abuse and production of recordings and later took steps to distribute or commercially advertise the material.
Child Exploitation Case – Videos advertised on dark web
Federal prosecutors said Bywater advertised videos depicting the abuse for sale over the dark web.
The dark web refers to parts of the internet that generally require specialized software or configurations to access and are not indexed like conventional websites. Although the technology has legitimate uses, criminals can also exploit hidden online networks to conceal their identities or activities.
Federal investigators have increasingly targeted online networks used to exchange child sexual abuse material, including encrypted platforms, file-sharing systems and dark-web marketplaces.
In Bywater’s case, the federal jury’s verdict established his criminal guilt on the charges brought to trial. The proceedings have now moved from the trial phase to sentencing.
Wife sentenced to 25 years
The prosecution of Alekzander Bywater followed an earlier guilty plea and sentencing involving his wife.
Anika Bywater, 29, formerly of Gonzales, Texas, pleaded guilty on Dec. 10, 2025, to conspiracy to engage in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places.
U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced her in March 2026 to 25 years in federal prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release.
According to the Justice Department, Anika Bywater was living in Veracruz when she and another person created two separate videos depicting the sexual abuse of the child.
Authorities discovered the conduct after videos of the abuse began circulating on the internet.
Her guilty plea meant her case did not proceed through the same jury trial process as Alekzander Bywater’s case. She admitted guilt before sentencing, while Alekzander Bywater went to trial and was subsequently convicted by a federal jury.
The two cases demonstrate how investigators can pursue participants separately even when criminal conduct arises from the same underlying events.
FBI investigation crossed international borders
The case required investigative work involving conduct that occurred outside the United States.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit investigated the case with assistance from the FBI’s law enforcement attaché office in Mexico City and the FBI Washington Field Office, according to federal prosecutors.
The international component is significant because the underlying sexual abuse occurred in Mexico, while the federal prosecution took place in the United States.
Federal law provides prosecutors with authority in certain circumstances to pursue U.S. citizens or other qualifying defendants for sexual exploitation offenses committed abroad. The charges in Bywater’s case included conspiracy to produce visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct outside the United States.
The online distribution and advertising allegations also gave investigators a digital trail that crossed geographic boundaries.
Federal child exploitation investigations frequently require coordination among domestic field offices, international law enforcement partners, internet service providers and specialists trained in digital evidence.
Maryland prosecutors handled federal case
Acting Deputy Chief Kyle P. Reynolds of the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Reema Sood for the District of Maryland handled the prosecution.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, the Justice Department’s nationwide initiative targeting child sexual exploitation and abuse.
The program was launched in May 2006 and is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
The initiative coordinates federal, state and local resources to identify victims and investigate and prosecute people accused of exploiting children, including offenses involving internet distribution of child sexual abuse material.
Recent Justice Department records show Project Safe Childhood continues to encompass cases ranging from production and distribution of CSAM to online enticement, possession offenses and other forms of sexual exploitation.
Digital evidence central to investigation
The Bywater prosecution also illustrates the role digital evidence can play in federal child exploitation cases.
According to the Justice Department, investigators recovered evidence from computers associated with Bywater, including the videos central to the prosecution and additional child sexual abuse material.
Computers, mobile devices, online accounts, cloud storage and communications platforms can contain evidence that allows investigators to reconstruct when files were created, stored, transmitted or accessed.
In cases involving material distributed online, investigators may also attempt to determine how files moved between users and whether suspects participated in networks used to trade or sell illegal content.
The FBI maintains specialized teams focused on child exploitation investigations, including cases that cross state or national borders.
The Bywater investigation involved both international coordination and digital evidence, eventually leading to the federal prosecution in Maryland.
Sentencing comes next
Bywater remains subject to sentencing following the jury’s verdict.
The Justice Department said he faces a maximum penalty of 150 years in prison across the charges for which he was convicted. However, statutory maximum penalties should not be interpreted as predictions of the sentence ultimately imposed.
Federal sentencing typically considers the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, statutory requirements, the circumstances surrounding the offenses, and other factors presented to the court.
A sentencing date will be scheduled later.
Unlike an indictment, which contains allegations not proven at trial, the case against Alekzander Bywater has now resulted in convictions by a federal jury. His wife separately admitted guilt and has already been sentenced.
The Justice Department announced the verdict on Aug. 20.
The case represents another prosecution under Project Safe Childhood involving both direct sexual exploitation of a child and the digital circulation of material documenting that abuse.
Federal authorities say the broader initiative is designed not only to prosecute offenders but also to identify and rescue children whose abuse is depicted and distributed online.
For Alekzander Bywater, the next major proceeding will be sentencing, when a federal judge will determine how much time he will serve in prison.
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