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ST. GEORGE — A St. George woman is facing federal charges accusing her of producing child sex abuse material with a very young girl.
Investigators say the pornographic images were discovered because of an arrest made in Kansas involving a man who is also facing federal charges in a separate case.
Alexandria Marie Wright, 30, was charged in August in 5th District Court with sodomy on a child, five counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and sexual exploitation of a minor, first-degree felonies; and dealing in harmful materials to a minor, a third-degree felony.
Then last week, a federal grand jury indicted her on the charges of conspiracy to produce child pornography and production of chid pornography.
The investigation into her case began in March when Martin Brandon Gillen, 26, of Phoenix, was arrested in Kansas. Police say Gillen took a woman, who was later reported as missing, from Illinois to Kansas. The woman said that starting when she was under the age of 18, Gillen made threats against her and her family and would sexually assault her, sometimes at gunpoint, according to charging documents.
In June, Gillen was charged in federal court in that case with kidnapping. He was also charged with transportation of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
After his arrest, police found child sex abuse images on his phone, including pictures he took himself in October of 2021 involving a girl under the age of 6, the charges state.
Through further investigation, police learned that "Martin and Wright planned to meet one another in Washington County for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with a young minor," according to Wright's state charges. "Gillen explained that during that encounter, both he and Wright did sexually abuse the minor during that encounter. Gillen further explained that he filmed some of this abuse using his mobile device."
Initially, Gillen did not give investigators Wright's name and they were unable to identify her until August, the charges state.
On Thursday, a federal judge ordered Wright to remain in custody pending her trial.
