Steven Estrada Ramirez, a 23-year-old resident of Lowell, was sentenced on Mar. 11 in federal court in Boston to five years in prison for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address crimes involving the exploitation of children. After serving his sentence, Estrada will be subject to five years of supervised release and faces deportation.
Estrada pleaded guilty in November 2025 to charges related to receipt and possession of child pornography after being indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2024. Authorities identified him as a participant in several groups on a mobile chat application where users shared and viewed child sexual abuse material. During his arrest, officials found a USB drive containing over 700 video files depicting such material, including content involving children estimated to be between one and eight years old. Investigators also discovered that the home screen of Estrada’s cell phone displayed an image of child sexual abuse material, with the device itself containing more than 5,000 images and videos.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England, announced the sentencing. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Maynard and Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus from the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 aimed at protecting children from exploitation and abuse. The program brings together federal, state, and local resources to locate offenders and rescue victims.