New Orleans, Louisiana - A New Orleans man has pleaded guilty in federal court to attempting to send obscene material to a person he believed was a 15-year-old girl, according to a news release from Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
Mark Brooks, also known as “Baby Nu,” 35, pleaded guilty on Nov. 20, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe to one count of attempted transfer of obscene matter to a minor. The charge is a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1470, a federal law that makes it a crime to knowingly attempt to transfer obscene material to someone under 16.
Online Sting Operation Involving Undercover FBI Employee
Court documents state that on or about May 1, 2025, Brooks contacted an FBI online covert employee who was posing as a 15-year-old girl named “Ava.” After “Ava” told Brooks that she was only 15, he allegedly continued the conversation and began engaging in what authorities describe as a “sexually charged, text-based correspondence.”
During these online exchanges, Brooks sent multiple sexually explicit videos to “Ava,” including videos of himself masturbating while at work and inside rooms in a residence, according to the court filings. Throughout the conversations, he repeatedly discussed meeting in person to engage in sexual acts.
On May 13, 2025, Brooks proposed that he and “Ava” meet at a restaurant near his residence and then go back to his home to engage in sexual contact, the documents say. “Ava” agreed as part of the undercover operation. Law enforcement officers arrested Brooks as he walked from his residence to the restaurant.
Potential Penalties At Sentencing
Brooks faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. He also faces up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Brooks may also be required to register as a sex offender, depending on the final judgment of the court and applicable law.
Sentencing before Judge Ashe is scheduled for Feb. 12, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
Role Of Project Safe Childhood
Federal authorities brought the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is designed to combat what officials describe as a growing problem of child sexual exploitation and abuse, especially online.
Project Safe Childhood is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS). The initiative coordinates federal, state, and local resources to:
- Locate, investigate, and prosecute individuals who exploit children using the internet and other technologies.
- Help identify and rescue child victims when possible.
More information about Project Safe Childhood is available at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Investigators And Prosecution
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson credited the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Louisiana State Police for their work in investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, chief of the Public Integrity Unit, is leading the prosecution.