COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — A man from Colorado Springs was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by 20 years on supervised release for creating and selling child pornography, said a release from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
Gregory Lopez, 28, was convicted on Dec. 2 by U.S. District Court Judge Christine M. Arguello.
DOJ said Lopez advertised child pornography on "The Onion Router" or TOR Network, a software used for anonymous communication.
A federal agent was able to find an advertisement and then start chatting with Lopez, the release said. The agent was sold five videos of the sexual abuse of a seven-year-old child for $40, according to DOJ, in May 2020.
The next day, DOJ served a search warrant to Lopez's Colorado Springs home, where he admitted to creating and selling the videos.
"Sexual abuse of children is egregious and harms victims for their lifetime," United States Attorney Cole Finegan said in a statement. "Due to the excellent work of federal law enforcement and the Colorado's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the victim in this case is no longer in danger, and the perpetrator has been removed from the community for a very long time."
DOJ said Lopez had about 265 video files and 20 images showing child pornography.
"This sentencing should send a very clear message to this defendant and others like him, that HSI [Homeland Security Investigations] will punish anyone who engages in the inexcusable abuse of innocent children," Ryan L. Spradlin, Special Agent in Charge, HSI Denver, said in the release. "We're grateful for the collaboration with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners in Colorado to target and prosecute criminals who exploit children."
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