BOSTON – A Lawrence resident accused of sexually exploiting a 4-year-old by forcing the child into sex acts and taking photographs and video of the acts, was charged Thursday in federal court.

Jakob Nieves, who is also known as Dakota Nieves, 19, was charged with one count of sexual exploitation of child and one count of distribution of child pornography. Neives was ordered held without bail until a detention hearing scheduled for Tuesday, said Christina DiLorio-Sterling, spokeswoman for U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling.

The investigation of Nieves, who identifies as female, began after she allegedly sent an undercover federal agent photos on an internet website geared toward individuals interested in pedophilia, that showed her sexually abusing a child, she said.

Agents received a warrant and during a search of Nieves residence, they found her phone which allegedly contained several of sexually explicit photographs and videos. One showed the child rubbing Nieves’ penis and one showed the child with Neives’ penis in her mouth, court records said.

The alleged abuse occurred between January 2018 and May 2019, court records said.

“Neives did knowingly employ, use, persuade, induce, entice and coerce a minor…to engage in any sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction of such conduct,” court records said.

When agents searched the home, Neives allegedly admitted to making and distributing the pornography, DiLorio-Sterling said.

A charge of sexual exploitation of a child carries a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, she said.

The case was investigated by Lelling’s office and the FBI in Boston. It is part of the Project Safe Child initiative, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse.