In a significant development, Hector Torres, a 34-year-old resident of Monroe, has been handed a 25-year prison term for his involvement in child exploitation offenses, Your Content has learned.
The sentencing, delivered by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny in Hartford, includes 300 months of imprisonment followed by 10 years of supervised release.
The case, brought forward by Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, highlights Torres’ disturbing actions that targeted three underage girls.
According to court documents and statements provided during the proceedings, Torres utilized various digital platforms, including Snapchat, FaceTime, and text messaging, to communicate with the victims.
Coercing the girls, aged 11 and 12, he persuaded them to share explicit photographs and engage in sexual activities.
Shockingly, in February 2021, Torres would drive the minors to a shopping plaza parking lot in Hartford, where he orchestrated sexual encounters with each of them.
As an incentive, he promised them money, sneakers, vaping supplies, and food in exchange for their compliance.
Disturbingly, investigators discovered three videos showcasing Torres’ sexual abuse of the young victims.
Since his arrest on April 13, 2021, Torres has been in custody.
On March 8, 2023, he pleaded guilty to two counts of coercion and enticement of minors for sexual activity, as well as one count of producing child pornography.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Hartford Police Department, the Monroe Police Department, and the Connecticut Child Exploitation Task Force, a collaborative effort of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Angel M. Krull, representing the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, prosecuted the case, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding children from sexual abuse and exploitation, according United States Attorney’s Office.