A Bradenton woman faces 30-years in prison for taking pornographic pictures of a child she was babysitting and then sharing them.

Investigators said Renee Gregg, 35, was watching a friend’s 2-year-old daughter in August 2011 and took a picture of her performing a sex act on the child.

She then sent the picture via a text message to an individual in Queens, New York.

Records show Gregg also invited the man to Florida so the two could have sexual contact with the child.

No one knew about it, until the New York man was arrested.

In February 2013, investigators took the man’s cell phone and his computer.

That’s when they said they found the Manatee County babysitter’s texts and inappropriate photos.

More than a year later, Gregg admitted to the crime and was arrested.

Captain Todd Shear, with the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office Child Protection Investigative Division, said these types of cases take time to investigate.

He said however, this case proves that no matter how much time passes, if you commit a crime like this, you are highly likely to get caught.

“Even though you may produce this, shared it via electronically on your smart phone or your computer, those things never go away,” said Shear.  “There are ways we can track that stuff down and we do that quite often.”

Shear said sophisticated software helps them track down pornography that gets shared on-line.

However, he points out the biggest help comes from the community.

“When we receive tips from the public it’s a huge source of our investigations,” said Shear.

Shear said this serves as a reminder to be careful when choosing who watches your children.

This week, the United States Attorney’s Office, announced the return by a grand jury of an indictment charging Gregg, with production and transportation of child pornography. 

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the New York Police Department.

It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Peresie.

It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 

Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. 

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.