HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) - A Henrico couple was sentenced to 15 years in prison on four counts of production of child pornography on Thursday.
Undercover agents initially detected an individual distributing child pornography from the defendants' residence in 2013 and ultimately arrested Rodriguez and Perez on production of child pornography charges after a grand jury indictment in September.
Fidel Rodriguez, age 54, and Yida Perez, age 40, were convicted of the charges in a bench trial in November. The couple, Cuban citizens, were granted residency in the United States over six years ago.
Perez's stepson, Yosvany Rodriguez, age 30, also faced charges. However, documents revealed that Yosvany, committed suicide in November, a week before his scheduled trial where he was expected to plead guilty.
A neighbor who lived near the husband and wife remembered seeing a heavy police presence at the couple's home back in September 2013.
"There were just cop cars lining the entire street," said the woman, who does not want to be identified. "I couldn't figure out what was going on."
"It's disgusting," said one neighbor. "I can't even imagine.
According to court documents, Rodriguez and Perez sexually abused a minor relative for over six years, and produced child pornographic images and videos using the victim as the subject.
The pornography was produced from July 2007 to April 2012. That would be shortly after the couple was granted U.S. residency.
The images were produced using a digital camera. Forensic analysts recovered dozens of the child pornographic images and videos saved on various forms of computer media throughout the defendants' residence, along with additional child pornographic images downloaded from the Internet.
"That's really bad because you think your family is someone you can count on and love and look up to," said a neighbor.
CBS 6 went to the couple's house on Thursday. No one was home and neighbors said they haven't seen anyone living there since the police presence. CBS 6 was there when the house was raided in September, but was asked to leave because undercover cops can't be filmed.
Neighbors described the couple as a quiet pair, and said they had only lived at their home on Bethlehem Rd. in Henrico County for about a year.
"I'd occasionally say hi to them and that's about it," said the neighbor.
