United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Receipt of Child Pornography was sentenced on July 15, 2014, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.

Avugwi Alvarez, age, 22, was sentenced to 168 months in custody, five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. He must also register as a sex offender.

Alvarez was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 12, 2013, for Distribution and Receipt of Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors and Possession of Child Pornography. He pled guilty to Receipt of Child Pornography on January 13, 2014. Alvarez operated with several aliases including: Clarence One Feather; Clarence NovaCane Edwards; “Baby.Gambo.Productions”; and “legionairesz.”

Between November 1, 2012, and January 7, 2013, as well as earlier times, Alvarez would use the Internet and computer devices to receive and possess images of child pornography. At times using an alias, Alvarez actively bartered and traded for the child pornography. Alvarez received numerous images of child pornography on different dates, and the images came into his possession from various locations, including locations in California. The child pornography images were produced and transported via computers, cellular telephones, Facebook, and other online services.

“The sentence handed down demonstrates that people who are involved in child pornography will face serious consequences. Sexual abuse of our children happens in many forms, and child pornography exploits children in some of the most humiliating and damaging ways,” said Johnson. “I commend all of the law enforcement agencies involved in this investigation, as well as their aggressive pursuit of any case where the welfare of children is on the line.”

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, Sioux Falls Police Department, and the U.S. Marshals Service. U.S. Attorney Brendan Johnson and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tim Maher and Sarah Collins prosecuted the case.

Alvarez was immediately turned over to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, and led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.