TAMPA – Former Department of Children & Families spokesman Al Zimmerman pleaded guilty this morning to production of child pornography.

The charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set.

Zimmerman had been scheduled to stand trial Monday.

The former reporter for Bay News 9 was arrested in February and accused of making sexually explicit photos and videos of two 16-year-old boys. Authorities said he met one of the boys through his job with DCF.

More recently, federal prosecutors said investigators had identified five more victims. A new indictment was handed up, adding charges of receiving child pornography, possessing child pornography and obstruction of justice.

A federal prosecutor has said Zimmerman often used his work computer to correspond by e-mail with the first two victims identified.

Zimmerman told authorities he didn’t know the boys were underage.