Former Fox News guest contributor and anti-drug activist Ricci Wynne has found himself in legal trouble once again as he was indicted on child porn charges on Tuesday by a federal grand jury.
Wynne was previously charged with suspicion of pimping and pandering last November with law enforcement alleging the activist of exploiting vulnerable individuals for financial gain.
The new indictment, filed in a district court in San Francisco, accuses Wynne of coercing minors to engage in ‘sexually explicit conduct’ for visual depiction in April and October of 2022.
The indictment also alleged that Wynne had intentions of shipping or transporting the visual depiction.
Prosecutors uncovered the allegedly disturbing content when Wynne was arrested at San Francisco International Airport in late November.
His phone was seized by authorities which was allegedly when the child pornography was discovered.
An unnamed 30-year-old woman was with Wynne during the arrest. Authorities believed that he was using her for sex work and she was later released.
After the arrest, police obtained a search warrant and found over $79,000 in cash in his apartment, where investigators believe the sex work took place.
Ricci Wynne was indicted on child pornography charges by a federal grand jury on Tuesday
The former Fox News guest and political activist was previously arrested and charged with suspicion of pimping and pandering
Wynne had created a profile for himself as a conservative anti-drug activist that landed him on Fox News to advocate for his cause
A court filing from December alleged that Wynne had a ‘track record of sexually abusing children,’ Assistant US Attorney Eric Cheng wrote.
‘Evidence recently identified by investigators shows (Wynne) not only sexually abused children, but further video recorded many of his sexual acts with them,’ the filing added, as reported by East Bay Times.
The document also alleged that Wynne had abused children as young as 12, who he also is accused of assaulting on camera when she was 13.
Wynne has a checkered criminal past, having built his career on being a reformed drug dealer.
However, in 2018, police investigated a tip that he advertised a ‘cocaine buffet’ online.
He then faced a federal drug case and a 12 year prison term, but his lawyers argued that he was a victim of abuse and tried to harm himself while in jail so he was released in December 2021 with three years of probation.
Prosecutors are now alleging that Wynne began grooming young girls after he was released.
Wynne is currently in custody in California and has pleaded not guilty to the pimping and pandering charges.
Wynne amassed a large following on social media where he posted videos depicting drug addiction and homelessness in San Francisco
Wynne is currently in federal custody and faces a slew of charges including child pornography and human trafficking
The shocking allegations underscore Wynne’s anti-crime activism, which popularized him in conservative circles.
He was featured on the network in 2023, and advocated for new policies to combat San Francisco’s drug crisis to Fox host, Jesse Watters.
Wynne amassed a significant following on social media, having over 102,000 followers on Instagram and 29,000 on X.
He posted abrasive content on the realities of homelessness and drug addiction, which at times was slammed as sensationalist by his critics.
Wynne also positioned himself as a political figure, advocating for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and Daniel Lurie’s mayoral campaign.
