On April 23, 2025, Alvaro Andres Valarezo Sandoval, a 35-year-old Ecuadorian national residing in Miami, Florida, was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion passed sentence on Sandoval for two counts of child pornography production. The announcement was made by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus revealed that Sandoval engaged in the sexual exploitation of six minors from Central Pennsylvania. Between 2013 and 2019, he deceived and threatened these minors to send him explicit photos and videos. Sandoval is said to have built a rapport with the victims and encouraged them to share sexually explicit content. If any minor attempted to break off the communication, Sandoval threatened to post their explicit images online, coercing them into compliance.
The investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police uncovered at least six victims in Central Pennsylvania and approximately 30 others worldwide. During the sentencing, one of the victims provided a statement describing the significant impact of Sandoval's actions on her and her family.
Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera prosecuted the case. This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative by the Department of Justice, started in May 2006, to curb child exploitation and abuse. The initiative uses federal, state, and local resources to prosecute offenders and rescue victims.
More information on Project Safe Childhood is available at www.usdoj.gov/psc.
