A Raleigh man has been handed an eight-year prison sentence for transporting and possessing child pornography, after authorities discovered in excess of 1,000 images on his digital devices. Nico Aaron Lowers, a 24-year-old resident, will follow his prison term with 20 years of supervised release, according to details released by the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Michael Easley.
The investigation, a joint effort between the Raleigh Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security, began after a cybertip was received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. This tip indicated that a Google user was uploading child pornography. When investigators followed the lead to Lowers' previous residence in Virginia, they found no contraband, but his parents mentioned that he had moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, as stated by the United States Attorney's Office.
After being located, Lowers gave permission for his cell phone to be searched. During this process, authorities discovered several deleted films showing the rape and torture of a baby. His Raleigh home was searched with a later warrant, and other digital devices were found. A closer look revealed the shocking extent of his collection, which included films and pictures of infants, as well as content showing cruel and masochistic behavior.
"Lowers admitted to downloading child sexual abuse material and admitted to bringing a flash drive that contained child sexual abuse material to North Carolina from Virginia," as mentioned to the United States Attorney's Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson, following an announcement by Easley.
Project Safe Childhood coordinates efforts to locate, arrest, and prosecute individuals who exploit children online, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit the Department of Justice's website. Additional court documents and information about this case can be found on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina's website or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:22-CR-178-M.
