Chicago, IL – A Chicago man was sentenced this week to 45 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to repeatedly exploiting children online, federal officials said.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, 35-year-old Armando Torres used Snapchat, Instagram and other social media platforms in 2019 and 2020 to target at least 14 young girls, many of them younger than 10 years old. Authorities said Torres allegedly posed as a child, built trust with victims, and then instructed them on how to create and send sexually explicit images and videos.
Prosecutors said Torres provided detailed directions on posing and language, often guiding children through the process in real time. His online usernames were designed to appeal to children, according to court documents.
U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger handed down the 45-year sentence on Aug. 11 after Torres admitted to exploitation and child pornography charges earlier this year. The FBI’s Chicago Field Office assisted in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin Walgamuth wrote in a sentencing memorandum that Torres’s actions allegedly robbed victims of their childhood. “Their innocence and trust in others make them defenseless to predators like Torres, who easily manipulated them online,” she said.
The case was prosecuted under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Justice Department initiative focused on identifying and prosecuting child exploitation crimes and supporting survivors.
Officials urge anyone who believes they or someone they know is a victim of sexual exploitation to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 or visit missingkids.org. The hotline is available 24/7.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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