Police have arrested an East Haven man who investigators allege used a social media platform to possess child pornography.
Jorge Daniel Villegas-Lopez, 19, was taken into custody on Wednesday on a warrant charging him with possessing child sexual abuse material, according to Capt. Joseph M. Murgo of the East Haven Police Department.
Murgo said the investigation began on Oct. 1 when police were contacted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children about an individual who allegedly used a “popular social media platform” to possess child sexual abuse materials. According to Murgo, the NCMEC had received a complaint from the unnamed social media site after the illegal materials were found on its servers.
East Haven. Det. Jon Trinh identified the alleged individual as Villegas-Lopez, according to Murgo. The investigation involved a digital forensic analysis.
On Nov. 6, investigators carried out a search and seizure warrant at Villegas-Lopez’s residence on North Street, Murgo said. Authorities were assisted by Connecticut State Police troopers who used a K-9 trained to detect electronic devices.
Authorities seized several devices which were turned over to the state Forensic Science Laboratory, Murgo said. A forensic analysis allegedly found “numerous” videos and images containing child sexual abuse material, according to Murgo.
Villegas-Lopez was charged after police obtained a warrant for his arrest. He was held on a $75,000 bond and was expected to face a judge on Thursday.
“This arrest reflects our continued commitment to aggressively pursuing individuals who exploit children,” Murgo said in a statement.
“The exploitation of children will not be tolerated in this community,” Murgo added. “Protecting children remains one of the highest priorities of the East Haven Police Department. We will continue to dedicate the necessary resources to thoroughly investigate these crimes, work proactively with our law enforcement partners, and pursue offenders to the fullest extent of the law. Those who exploit children will be held fully accountable.”

