A Mexican national has been sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to distributing child sexual abuse material.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of New York, the defendant, Edwin Morones, 23, a former resident of Watertown, New York, admitted to participating in online groups that shared child sexual abuse material during November and December 2024. Prosecutors said Morones distributed multiple files through social media platforms, including some material he created himself.
Investigators were able to identify and arrest Morones despite his use of online platforms. Authorities stated that he was illegally present in the United States at the time of the offenses.
The case was investigated as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative focused on combating the sexual exploitation of children. In addition to his prison sentence, Morones was sentenced to 15 years of supervised release and is required to register as a sex offender.
The investigation involved Homeland Security Investigations and the New York State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gillis.
