A Jamaica man will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars after pleading guilty on Monday, July 26, to sexually exploiting children and possessing child pornography.
Orlando Lopez, 66, pleaded guilty to nine counts before U.S. District Judge Eric R. Komitee in Brooklyn federal court. He faces up to 50 years’ imprisonment on each one of them, as well as forfeiture, restitution and a fine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of New York.
According to court filings and admissions made in court, Lopez created child pornography by sexually abusing children and taking photos and videos of the abuse.
Many of the children Lopez targeted lived with their families near Lopez’s Jamaica residence and were between the ages of 2 and 10 when he sexually abused them. In order to gain access to his victims, Lopez attempted to befriend their parents.
Law enforcement recovered thousands of photos and videos from Lopez’s Jamaica residence depicting him engaging in sexual activity with children.
“With today’s guilty plea, the defendant admits to preying on vulnerable young children for the cruel purpose of sexually exploiting them and he also admits to possessing thousands of pornographic videos and photographs depicting his depraved acts of sexual abuse,” Acting U.S. Attorney Jacquelyn M. Kasulis said. “While the defendant’s admission of guilt cannot undo the terrible harm he has inflicted, it does provide assurance that this office and its law enforcement partners remain steadfast in their commitment to prosecuting dangerous predators like the defendant to the fullest extent of the law.”
Kasulis expressed gratitude to the FBI’s New York Field Office, the NYPD and the Queens district attorney’s office for their assistance with the case. The prosecution was part of the Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse.
