Disc Jockey for High School Parties Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting Three Minors

A former disc jockey for high school parties was sentenced to serve 40 years in prison today in the District of Puerto Rico for sexually exploiting minors.

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez of the District of Puerto Rico and Special Agent in Charge Angel M. Melendez of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) in San Juan made the announcement .

According to court records, Eduardo Santiago-Rivera, 45, was a disc jockey who met his victims at area high school parties and on various social networking sites.   Santiago-Rivera admitted that in June and July 2012, he caused at least three minors, who ranged in age from 12 to 15, to engage in sexual activity for the purpose of creating videos.   Santiago-Rivera used “ooVoo,” an Internet-based video chat program, to direct and coerce the minors to undress and to engage in various sexual acts.   Santiago-Rivera also recorded himself engaging in sexual acts with one of the minors.

At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Jay A. Garcia-Gregory of the District of Puerto Rico, Santiago-Rivera was additionally ordered to serve a 15-year term of supervised release following his release from prison, during which his access to computers, the Internet and minors will be restricted, and he will be obligated to register as a sex offender.   Judge Garcia-Gregory will issue an order for restitution to be paid by Santiago-Garcia to the families of the victims in 60 days.   Santiago-Rivera pleaded guilty on Jan. 13, 2014, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Camille L. Vélez - Rivé in the District of Puerto Rico to nine counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography.   He was charged by superseding indictment on May 13, 2013.

The investigation was conducted by ICE HSI.   The case was prosecuted by Criminal Division Trial Attorneys Amy E. Larson of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Mark Angehr of the Public Integrity Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Marshal Morgan of the District of Puerto Rico.

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.   Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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 .