Los Angeles-area man found guilty of advertising pornographic images of toddlers and infants in online chatroom
LOS ANGELES – A federal judge convicted a Moreno Valley man Thursday of advertising child pornography in a members-only online chatroom for individuals with a sexual interest in infants and toddlers, following a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigation (HSI).
Angelo Harper Jr., 21, was found guilty of advertising child pornography, a crime that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. Harper was found guilty by U.S. District Judge R. Gary Klausner, who presided over a two-day bench trial.
On July 12, Harper pleaded guilty to distributing child pornography and possession of child pornography. On that same day, he waived his right to a jury trial on the remaining advertising charge, which led to this week’s bench trial before Judge Klausner.
The evidence presented at trial showed Harper used the Kik Messenger social media platform to access a chatroom for those with a sexual interest in infants and toddlers. Last year, an HSI special agent entered the chatroom using an undercover Kik account and accessed several postings about child pornography – made by an individual later identified as Harper – which included images depicting child pornography and a link to an explicit video. At one point, Harper wrote: “I have tons of pics and vids of little boys and girls. Pm me for chat and trade of kids under 6 [winking face emoji].”
“Pedophiles continue to develop ways to exploit online technology so they can have a forum to share their deviant interests,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “Law enforcement will continue to respond to the increased use of online platforms by vigorously investigating the dark corners of the internet where criminals attempt to hide offenses like the trafficking and promotion of child pornography. Defendants like Harper endanger children by perpetuating a market for their victimization.”
As a result of the investigation, HSI special agents obtained a search warrant for Harper’s residence. During the execution of the warrant in October 2015, investigators seized various digital devices containing child pornography and Harper admitted to using Kik to transmit child pornography.
“Child pornography, when it’s released on the internet, lives on forever,” said Joseph Macias, special agent in charge for HSI Los Angeles. “It haunts the innocent children whose abuse is depicted in the images, and brings unspeakable pain to their parents and families, knowing that untold strangers are exploiting their worst experiences for their own perverse pleasure. HSI will continue to work closely with its law enforcement partners across the country and around the globe to ensure that those who sexually exploit our children are brought to justice.”
Harper, whose sentencing is set for Oct. 17, faces up to 70 years in federal prison. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys George E. Pence and A. Carley Palmer of the General Crimes Section.
The charges in this case are a product of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, and HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators.
Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.
Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 14,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2015, nearly 2,400 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.
For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.
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