A former Rosemont resident has been indicted on federal child pornography charges for allegedly exploiting a minor to produce sexually explicit images.

Marcos Mendez, 32, is charged with two counts of using a minor to produce child pornography, one count of transporting child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography on his cell phone.

The indictment was returned in 2016 in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Mendez was arrested in July in León, Guanajuato, Mexico, and recently extradited to Chicago. He made an initial court appearance in Chicago on Jan. 23 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cummings. Mendez pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago led the probe of the case, with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Cook County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Marshals Service.

The indictment against Mendez alleges that on May 23, 2015 and in December 2015, he employed and used a minor to exhibit the minor’s genitalia for photos.

Federal officials said that on Feb. 20, 2016, Mendez had child pornography on his Apple iPhone 6S, leading for their call for the phone to be forfeited should the former Rosemont man be convicted on any of the charges against him.

If you believe you have been a victim of sexual exploitation, contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com/home or calling 1-800-843-5678.  The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.