BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — Bakersfield Police Department Detective Marc Lugo was in the Bakersfield Federal Courthouse on Thursday on federal charges of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Lugo, 35, was arrested in May after allegedly contacting a 15-year-old girl from South Carolina on Instagram to commit a sexual offense.
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The Kern County Sheriff’s Office made the initial arrest but said on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, that the case was eventually referred to a Federal agency for prosecution due to the charges submitted. It’s unclear when the case was handed off to federal prosecutors.
Lugo is a 13-year veteran of the Bakersfield Police Department and is currently on administrative leave.
A federal detention hearing is set for next Tuesday, November 4, and a preliminary hearing is set for November 13.
If convicted, Lugo could face up to 30 years in a federal prison.