Long Island Man Sentenced to 28 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting Minors

Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Edgardo Mejia was sentenced by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack to 28 years in prison for sexually exploiting minors. The defendant was charged with causing an 11-year-old girl ("Jane Doe 1") to create numerous sexually explicit videos of herself, as well as at least two sexually explicit images of Jane Doe 1's two-year-old niece, all of which was sent to the defendant. Mejia pleaded guilty in August 2022.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the sentence.

Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Nassau County Police Department (NCPD) for their work on the case.

As set forth in the government's sentencing memorandum and other court documents, on February 20, 2017, Facebook reported several cybertips to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding social media accounts that were being used to sexually exploit female minors. One account was under the name "Bryan Gonsalez" and two other accounts were under the name "Eddie Mejia." Further investigation by law enforcement determined that the electronic device being used to access the accounts was registered to the defendant at an address in Uniondale, New York. Mejia was using the accounts to communicate with numerous minors, sending them explicit images of himself and enticing them to engage in sexually explicit conduct and send him images of such conduct. On December 15, 2017, Mejia, while posing as a 13-year-old boy, communicated with Jane Doe 1 asking her if she wanted to be his "gf" and send a picture of herself. Mejia also asked her to perform sexually explicit acts and record them on video. On December 17, 2017, Mejia asked Jane Doe 1 to take sexually explicit images of her niece and send them to him. The defendant engaged in similar conduct with numerous other minors, and frequently threatened and extorted those victims when they did not comply with his requests.

On January 25, 2018, the defendant was arrested in Port Washington, New York by HSI and NCPD, and has been detained since then.

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys' Offices, 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc

The government's case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office's Long Island Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan E. Farrell is in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant:

EDGARDO MEJIA (also known as "Eddie Mejia," "Eddie Reyes," "Carlos Reyez," and "Bryan Gonsalez")
Age: 42
Uniondale, Long Island

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-81 (JMA)