TYLER, Texas - A former Texas law enforcement officer faces up to 60 years in federal prison after pleading guilty Monday to child exploitation charges in federal court, officials announced.

Skyler Douglas Laza, 34, pleaded guilty July 27 to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love in the Eastern District of Texas, according to U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

The backstory: Court documents show Laza, a former Houston County deputy, persuaded a child under 12 on at least two occasions to engage in sexually explicit conduct to create visual images using a cell phone.