He promised children free video games. What they got instead was exploitation.
In Ecuador, a 24-year-old man, barely three weeks into a prison sentence for gender-based violence, is the alleged suspect in a disturbing case of child sexual exploitation that investigators say began in a neighborhood cyber café and continued after his arrest.
Inside the prison, investigators discovered the man had access to smuggled mobile devices via his 30-year-old cellmate. According to authorities, the man allegedly used the devices to target children between the ages 8 and 12 years old, offering low-income families what looked like a gift: hours of play at no cost. Behind the façade, he exploited those encounters to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
When intelligence revealed these activities, the Ecuadorian National Police Anti-Trafficking Unit (ENP-UNAT) and the Attorney General’s Office (FGE) acted quickly. With logistical support from Our Rescue, they launched a joint operation on July 31, at approximately 5:00 PM inside the prison.
During the search, officers uncovered the two mobile devices which are now under forensic review for potential child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The suspect’s cellmate was also arrested for unauthorized possession of electronics in prison. The devices are being analyzed for possible CSAM.
We applaud the Ecuadorian authorities and their dedication to stopping exploitation, even within the walls of correctional facilities.