Marc H. Silverman, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, have announced that Orlando Guzman, 73, from New Britain, has pleaded guilty to child exploitation offenses. The plea was entered before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven.

Court documents and statements reveal that HSI has been investigating a network involved in sharing child sexual abuse material through private groups on an internet chat application. It was discovered that Guzman's account was active in two such groups. Between February and August 2022, Guzman sexually abused a minor female and recorded the abuse using mobile devices.

On September 2, 2022, investigators conducted a court-authorized search of Guzman's mobile devices. The analysis revealed over 4,000 video files and more than 7,000 image files of child pornography, including content depicting Guzman's abuse of the minor victim.

Guzman has been detained since his arrest on September 7, 2022. He pleaded guilty to production of child pornography—an offense with a mandatory minimum imprisonment term of 15 years and a maximum term of 30 years—and possession of child pornography—carrying a maximum imprisonment term of 20 years. A sentencing date is yet to be scheduled.

The investigation was carried out by HSI with assistance from the New Britain Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings is prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood or to report cases of child exploitation, visit www.justice.gov/psc or www.cybertipline.com.