Marion man pleads guilty to sexual exploitation of minors

A 39-year-old Marion man who sexually exploited minor girls pleaded guilty Thursday and faces 24 to 40 years in federal prison.

Kevin A. Jauron pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and commission of a felony offense involving a minor while being required to register as a sex offender. During a probable cause hearing last October, police said two 15-year-old girls led them to Jauron who not only solicited them for sex and photos but also used fake identities to contact about 200 other minors.

The other sexual exploitation charge initially filed, involving multiple victims, will be dismissed at sentencing according to the plea agreement.

Jauron admitted during the hearing that he persuaded, induced or enticed a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and he engaged in the conduct for purpose of producing one or more visual depiction on a cell phone. The incidents occurred from 2013 to May 10, 2014.

According to testimony at the previous hearing, investigators said the minors admitted to having sex with Jauron in his home, sending him explicit photos and allowing Jauron to photograph them in sexual acts with him. One of the 15-year-olds also led police to Jauron's fake identification and burner phone he allegedly used to solicit some of the girls.

There was evidence that two 15 year-old girls were exchanging sex for money with Jauron, according to testimony. Jauron also admitted to the sexual acts, photos and using fake identities with the girls.

According to the previous hearing, Jauron had been convicted of third-degree harassment and assault causing bodily injury. Both cases involved solicitation with minors.

Jauron faces 15 to 30 years in prison on the sex exploitation charge and 10 years on the other charge. The 10 years must run consecutive to the other sentence and he faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years but could receive as much as 40 years.