Jonathan Suarez, age 30, of Slidell, Louisiana, was sentenced on April 21 to nearly ten years in prison after pleading guilty to receiving child sexual abuse material. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle and handed down by Chief United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to combat the exploitation of children online. In addition to his prison term of 118 months, Suarez will serve eight years of supervised release and must pay a $100 special assessment fee. He is also required to register as a sex offender and pay $42,000 in restitution to victims.
According to court documents, an investigation began in early 2024 when Federal Bureau of Investigation agents looked into the purchase of files depicting child sexual exploitation over the internet. Investigators found that Suarez sent money via CashApp at least six times between February and August 2023 for such materials. A search warrant executed at his home on April 10, 2025 led officials to seize his Apple iPhone containing at least 186 images and 853 videos involving minors as young as two years old.
The review determined that Suarez downloaded and saved this material over multiple dates from February 2023 through April 2025 in approximately 145 custom folders with descriptive names about their content.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006 aimed at fighting child sexual exploitation through collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies. More information can be found at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Courcelle praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on this case while Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg led the prosecution.
The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana enhances community safety through law enforcement efforts according to the official website. The office operates under the U.S. Department of Justice according to its official website, enforces federal laws and prosecutes criminal cases according to its official website, and is appointed by the President with Senate approval according to its official website. The office covers Southeast Louisiana according to its official website and serves as chief federal law enforcement officer for that district according to its official website. It prosecutes criminal cases, defends civil matters, handles debt collection for the government, and protects residents under appointment from the President according to its official website.
