Raleigh Man, 42, Faces Federal Charges for Child Sex Crimes Including Infant Abuse

Federal agents arrested a 42-year-old Raleigh man on charges that he solicited a 13-year-old girl online and traveled to New York to produce videos of himself sexually abusing an infant, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced Tuesday.

Andrew Swinson was taken into custody by FBI agents in downtown Raleigh after a U.S. magistrate judge approved a criminal complaint and authorized a federal arrest warrant. He faces two charges: coercion and enticement of a minor and production of child pornography. Both carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of life in federal prison.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Swinson contacted a 13-year-old girl through the social media platforms Zangi and Discord after encountering her advertised for sexual abuse online. He allegedly encouraged the girl to send him sexually explicit images and made plans to drive to her home in Nebraska, pick her up, and bring her to North Carolina to sexually abuse her.

Separately, investigators say Swinson met a woman online who had an infant child, traveled to New York to visit her, and produced photographs and videos of himself sexually abusing the baby. FBI Director Kash Patel, on March 11, credited agents at the FBI's Charlotte, Buffalo, and Omaha field offices with acting quickly to save a 13-year-old girl and a 7-month-old baby from the alleged abuser.

When FBI agents executed a search warrant at Swinson's Raleigh residence, they found bags containing rope, zip ties, and duct tape in his bedroom. His roommate told investigators that Swinson routinely traveled out of town to have sex with what Swinson described as women.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI with assistance from the Wake County Sheriff's Office, the Raleigh Police Department, and the Apex Police Department.

"Those who prey on children and solicit them to produce child abuse sexual material are morally reprehensible and will be held accountable for their heinous crimes," said Reid Davis, the FBI's special agent in charge in North Carolina. "The FBI remains committed to protecting our children."

Swinson has not yet been convicted of any crime. If found guilty on all charges, federal sentencing guidelines would require no less than 15 years in prison, with the possibility of life.