An Antelope Valley man who cut off a location-monitoring device from his ankle in the middle of trial and went on the lam before being recaptured was sentenced today to nearly 27 years behind bars for producing and receiving sexually explicit images of a teenage girl whom he hadenticed to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Gregory Cole Jr., 30, of Lancaster, was found guilty in absentia in April of one count of production of child pornography, one count of enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, and one count of receipt of child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
After Cole stopped appearing in federal court in downtown Los Angeles and became a fugitive, U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson issued a bench warrant and revoked Cole’s bond. He was later recaptured and sentenced Tuesday to 26 years and eight months in federal prison.
According to evidence presented at the three-day trial, in March and April of 2024, Cole enticed the victim — a 16-year-old girl — to send him sexually explicit images of herself via direct messages on Instagram.
Law enforcement searched Cole’s Instagram account and discovered he enticed the victim to create and send him child sexual abuse material. Cole demanded the material from the victim and sent her pornography of adult women in poses he wanted the victim to photograph herself in for him, which the victim did, evidence showed.
Cole deleted his Instagram account after the victim’s mother discovered his messages with her daughter.
