Norfolk man sentenced to 30 years in prison for producing child pornography | News

A Norfolk man has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for producing child pornography.

Estefan Bernardino Chavez, 30, was sentenced Thursday in Omaha federal court by Chief U.S. District Judge Robert F. Rossiter Jr., according to U.S. Attorney Susan Lehr. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, Chávez will begin a sentence of 15 years of supervised release. Chavez will also have to register as a sex offender.

Rossiter also ordered Chavez to pay $3,000 in restitution and a special assessment of $3,100.

On February 28, 2023, Chavez attempted to join an online website purporting to facilitate the sharing of so-called “original” child pornography via the Tor network. Chavez used an IP address linked to his Norfolk residence to create an account on the website. Using the website, Chavez sent the website administrator a link containing a video file showing Chavez and a minor victim engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

On March 1, 2023, the FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force executed a search warrant at Chavez's home. Chávez was arrested the same day.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice. Project Safe Childhood brings together federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

This case was investigated by the FBI Omaha Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.