Convicted sex offender found guilty of coercing 2 teenage girls to produce and send explicit content

GREENBELT, Md. - A convicted sex offender has been found guilty of additional sex crimes involving minors after prosecutors say he coerced two teenage girls into sending him explicit content. 

Brian Patrick Werth, 39, of Beltsville, Maryland, was convicted by a jury Wednesday on two counts of production of child pornography and for coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Werth was also convicted of committing a crime involving a minor by a registered sex offender.

According to evidence presented at his three-day trial, between January and June 2021, Werth persuaded two female minors to create sexually explicit content and send him photos online. Werth was communicating with the teens through an internet-based chat application.

Prosecutors say Werth enticed a 14-year-old victim through various means, for example, by sending her pictures of other apparent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, flattering her and sending her cash card codes for the purchase of lingerie and "school girl" outfits, and asked the victim to send explicit photos of herself.

Werth also convinced another 15-year-old girl to produce child pornography and send it via internet-based applications.

During that same time frame, Werth was also communicating with a third 11-year-old girl. Prosecutors say the conversations were sexual in nature and that Werth directly asked the 11-year-old for nude pictures.

Werth faces 25 to 50 years in prison for production of child pornography due to his prior conviction, to be followed by a 10-year mandatory consecutive sentence for the commission of a new offense involving a minor while being required to register as a sex offender. He also faces 10 years to life for coercion and enticement of a minor. 

His sentencing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on July 23.