ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — An Asheville woman will spend between three to nine years behind bars and must register as a sex offender after pleading guilty to a child exploitation charge.

A news release from the Buncombe County District Attorney’s Office said on Monday, Sept. 16, 2024, 31-year-old Lynette Lydia Rivera pleaded guilty to felony first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. As a result, visiting Superior Court Judge Greg Horne sentenced Rivera to serve an active prison term 44-113 months in the custody of the North Carolina Department of Corrections.

The Buncombe County DA’s release said the Asheville Police Department (APD) opened an investigation into Rivera on Aug. 17, 2023 after the county Department of Social Services (DSS) received a report of suspected abuse and/or neglect regarding Rivera’s 2-year-old child. The person who reported the suspected abuse was “a relative of the child who was serving as a temporary custodian as a result of another DSS investigation into Rivera,” according to the DA’s release. The relative said the child had received a tablet from Rivera that contained sexually explicit videos of Rivera handling the minor child.

In addition to service of the active prison term, Judge Horn ordered Rivera to register as a sex offender for a term of 30 years. Horn also issued a no contact order prohibiting Rivera from having contact with the minor child for the remainder of her life.