Murray man pleads guilty to sexually abusing child

A Murray man has pleaded guilty to traveling across state lines and sexually abusing a young child, a crime that will put him in a federal prison for at least 30 years.

Antonio Cardenas, 32, entered the plea Tuesday in U.S. District Court to a single count of aggravated sexual abuse of a child. Between June 2005 and July 2006, Cardenas traveled with the child to Las Vegas. There the man sexually abused the child and filmed the illicit acts.

Cardenas faces up to life in prison when he is sentenced June 13, but prosecutors, as part of a plea agreement, will recommend that Cardenas serve the mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years.

A federal grand jury had previously indicted Cardenas on two counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, one count of distribution of child pornography and three counts of production of child pornography.

Court documents state that Cardenas brought two children under the age of 12 across state lines and lured two children into performing sexual acts.

afalk@sltrib.com