Argentinian man pleads guilty to sexual exploitation and distribution of child pornography over the darkweb

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Andres Rafael Viola, 36, an Argentine citizen who resides in Las Vegas, pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Frank Burrola for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Las Vegas Office.

According to court documents, in May 2019, Yahoo, Inc. reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that one of its users received 14 images of child pornography from Viola, who was using the darkweb Tor network to distribute child pornography.

On June 7, 2019, HSI special agents arrested Viola at his Las Vegas residence. Law enforcement determined that Viola had supervisory control over the child victim. A forensic examination of electronic devices that were seized from Viola’s home revealed nearly 350 child pornography images and video, including Viola’s sexual exploitation of the victim and a curated collection of child pornography from other victims. Evidence showed that Viola had used the darkweb to distribute, trade, and share the child pornography he created of the child victim.

For the hands-on offenses related to the child victim, Viola pleaded guilty in Nevada state court to one count of sexual assault of a child under the age of 14.

Viola is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard F. Boulware II on May 28, 2020. As part of his guilty plea, Viola has agreed to 35 years of imprisonment and he may face deportation from the United States. The statutory mandatory minimum sentence for sexual exploitation of children is 15 years in prison. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

This case was the product of an investigation by HSI and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elham Roohani is prosecuting the case.

In fiscal year 2019, more than 3,500 child predators were arrested by HSI special agents and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

This matter is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC coordinates federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, including internet safety education visit justice.gov/psc.

For Internet safety information for educators, parents, and children alike, please visit HSI's iGuardian page to learn more.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page. HSI is a founding member of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.