A man and a woman from Ohio are charged in a federal indictment accusing them of convincing an Alabama juvenile to send sexually explicit images and videos under the guise of helping a dying loved one.

John Brickhouse, 35, and Nina Darling, 26, both of Junction City, Ohio, are charged in a 19-count federal indictment in Ohio.

The Clay County Sheriff’s Office and the Ashland Police Department began the child solicitation investigation in February, authorities said Friday. Early into the probe, they discovered that the suspect was a repeat sexual offender from out of state.

Sheriff’s officials then brought in FBI agents to help with the ongoing investigation.

Investigators say Brickhouse and Darling had been coercing a minor into producing child pornography.

According to court documents, the couple conspired for approximately seven months to coerce a minor girl, whom Brickhouse had met online, into producing and sending child pornography.

It is alleged that Brickhouse and Darling told the victim that Brickhouse’s mother had two weeks left to live, but that a third party had agreed to pay for life-saving surgery if the victim created and sent sexually explicit images and videos of herself in exchange.

The third party – “Michael Jones” – was actuality a fictitious person created by Brickhouse and Darling. It is alleged that Darling, at Brickhouse’s request, posed as “Michael Jones” in order to convince the victim that Brickhouse’s mother’s life could be saved if only the victim created and sent child pornography.

Darling also allegedly posed as Brickhouse’s dying mother and Brickhouse’s aunt as part of this deception.

The victim, believing that she was acting to save Brickhouse’s mother’s life, created and sent the child pornography as requested.

Brickhouse and Darling allegedly obtained and then distributed the child pornography to others, including to registered sex offenders.

Brickhouse is a registered sex offender whose most recent conviction was in 2015 for sexually assaulting a child, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. His multiple sexual offenses against children date back to 2009 and involve victims as young as 3 years old.

Brickhouse committed many of the alleged crimes while he was in custody for his prior sexual offenses against minors, authorities said.

If convicted, Brickhouse faces 25 years up to life in prison and Darling faces between five to 30 years in prison.