Nicholas Lugo, a resident of Chaska, Minnesota, has been indicted for the distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), as revealed by Acting U.S. Attorney Lisa D. Kirkpatrick. The court documents disclose that on July 3, 2024, Lugo, aged 25, distributed several CSAM videos over the internet.
Previously, Lugo was convicted in 2021 in Hennepin County for first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor. "Lugo is a child predator. He was convicted of sexually abusing a child. And then—like so many sexual predators—went on to offend again," stated Acting U.S. Attorney Kirkpatrick. She added, "Minnesotans should have no tolerance for serial child sex offenders in our midst. The U.S. Attorney’s Office certainly doesn’t. Defendants like Lugo who repeatedly prey on children should expect to see federal charges and do federal prison time."
Charged with one count of distribution of child pornography, Lugo was ordered to remain in custody by Magistrate Judge Dulce J. Foster pending further court procedures. The case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead and involves an investigation by the Chaska Police Department, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the FBI.
This legal action is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to address child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project collaborates with federal, state, and local resources to locate, arrest, and prosecute individuals exploiting children via the Internet and aims to rescue victims. More details on Project Safe Childhood can be found at Justice.gov/PSC.
It is important to note that an indictment is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
