Former High School Operations Manager paid multiple students at Valley Christian High School and Live Oak High School in California to create child pornography

Today, Todd Baldwin of Bremerton WA, pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of online child enticement and two counts of receipt of child pornography. Baldwin, a former High School Operations Manager paid multiple students at Valley Christian High School and Live Oak High School in San Jose to create child pornography.

The U.S. Attorney's Office of Northern California released details today. 

"Today, Todd Baldwin, of Bremerton, WA, pleaded guilty in federal court to an Information charging two counts of online child enticement and two counts of receipt of child pornography.

Baldwin, 46, was initially charged by complaint and later by an Information filed on November 19, 2024.  Baldwin pleaded guilty to all counts in the Information.  Baldwin also admitted to online enticement of two additional uncharged victims, as well as possession of child pornography on devices seized from his home.

According to his plea agreement, from approximately October 2021 until August 2023, Baldwin knowingly used the internet and various websites and internet enabled applications such as Snapchat, Venmo, and Gmail, to persuade, induce, and entice several minor boys to create child pornography.  Specifically, Baldwin admitted that he paid four boys, aged 16 and 17, thousands of dollars via Venmo and CashApp money transfers to create child pornography images and videos for him.  Baldwin told some of the boys that he would resell the images and videos to buyers online.  He also solicited and collected dirty underwear and clothing items worn by boys for resale to buyers online.  Police later executed a search warrant at Baldwin’s home and seized several electronic devices containing child pornography, including at least one image depicting a prepubescent minor boy engaged in sex acts.

At the time of his offenses, Baldwin was employed as an Operations Manager at Valley Christian High School in San Jose.  His victims were students at both Valley Christian and Live Oak High School, which is in Morgan Hill.  Baldwin became acquainted with at least one of the victims through his position at the school.

United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Scott Schelble made the announcement.

Baldwin is currently released on bond with stringent conditions including electronic monitoring and home detention.  Baldwin’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 26, 2027, at 8:30 AM, before U.S. District Judge Beth L. Freeman.  Baldwin faces a maximum statutory penalty of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment.  Baldwin is also subject to a $250,000 fine, special assessments on each count, and must pay restitution to his victims.  Any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marissa Harris is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Sahib Kaur and Lynette Dixon.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the San Jose Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Squad."