A Kenner man has admitted to charges of possessing child sexual abuse material, a federal offense that carries a potential twenty-year prison sentence and fines up to $250,000. Noah Torres, 47, pled guilty to the charge on February 20, 2025, as detailed by Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson in an official statement.
Torres, who was arrested from his residence after a federal search warrant was executed by Homeland Security Investigations agents, was found in possession of hundreds of images and videos depicting sexual abuse of minors. Specifically, court documents reveal Torres admitted to having 219 images and 340 videos featuring prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit activities, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
In addition to the prison sentence, Torres is also faced with at least five years of supervised release, potentially extending up to a lifetime and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. The final sentencing is scheduled for May 22, in front of United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana press release.
This case is part of the larger effort known as Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 aimed at curbing child exploitation and abuse across the nation. The project aligns federal, state, and local efforts to identify and capture individuals who exploit children through the internet and also to rescue the victims involved. More information about the project is available on their website.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson recognized the collaboration between various agencies including Homeland Security Investigations' offices in Portland, Oregon, and New Orleans, Louisiana, the Kenner Police Department, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation for their significant roles in the arrest and prosecution. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, who also serves as the Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit, is handling the prosecution in this case.
