Santa Clarita Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse Material
A 51-year-old man from Santa Clarita was recently sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. He was found guilty in a trial that lasted four days. The man, Robert Quido Stella, is a former Navy Seal. He was originally arrested in July 2021, and the trial concluded in May 2023. Mr. Stella was guilty of three counts of producing child sexual abuse pornography, also known as producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
When your child was a victim of child sexual abuse, you have rights and the ability to take legal action. Call our California child sexual abuse attorney at Beck Law P.C. today to learn more.
What is Child Sexual Abuse Material – CSAM?
Child sexual abuse material, CSAM, is another name for child pornography. While the term “child pornography” still appears in many federal statutes, the current, updated phrase is CSAM. CSAM includes materials for the sexually explicit depiction of a minor. It may be explicit materials of a photographic or recorded nature that are used in the sexual exploitation of a child. CSAM is a crime that encompasses a variety of activities, such as possession, manufacture, production, delivery, and trafficking.
How Did Stella Obtain Child Sexual Abuse Material?
According to reports, Stella used hidden cameras to film children without them knowing. The filming was done in a residential setting where Stella took photos of nude minors. Stella likely had cameras set up within his home. At least one camera was disguised as a USB charging block. Reports indicate that Stella’s cameras took pictures of minors when they undressed before showering or when they used the bathroom. It is unclear how many victims Stella photographed. He has been in custody since being arrested in July 2021.
How Was Stella Caught?
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was alerted to Stella having accessed a child sexual abuse material pornography website on the dark web. HSI initially found CSAM on his computer and two external hard drives. Stella had hidden some of the files in folders with labels such as “tax returns” and “federal contracts .”This was certainly an attempt to hide the illegal materials. Later, they found more materials, including about 17 videos and more than 100 screenshots from videos of minors who were naked or partially nude.
The case was brought as part of the Project Safe Childhood initiative through the Department of Justice. The initiative was started in 2006 to combat the growing concern of nationwide child pornography. They utilize local, state, and federal resources to find and prosecute those involved in CSAM online. They also locate and help victims of CSAM. This particular case began with a tip regarding Stella.
Stella Found Guilty
In April 2023, Stella pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of child pornography and access with intent to view child pornography. In May 2023, Stella went to trial on additional CSAM charges. After a four-day trial, he was found guilty of three counts of producing child pornography. He was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on that conviction. Stella is currently 51 years old.
If you or a loved one is the victim of child sexual abuse, you have the right to take legal action. Call our California child sexual abuse lawyer today at Beck Law at (707) 576-7175 to schedule a confidential, private consultation with our legal team.
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