Rolffo-Zavala Gets 17+ Years for Child Exploitation

AKRON, OH – Edwin Franco Rolffo-Zavala, a 24-year-old Peruvian national formerly of Novato, California, will spend the next 17 and a half years behind bars after being sentenced for a horrifying string of crimes involving the sexual exploitation of a child. The sentence, handed down by a federal judge, marks the culmination of a grim investigation into Rolffo-Zavala’s predatory behavior.

According to court documents, Rolffo-Zavala systematically abused a 13-year-old girl between May 13, 2013, and January 13, 2014, coercing her into performing sexually explicit acts for the purpose of live-streamed transmission. The investigation revealed he used interstate and foreign commerce to facilitate this abuse, broadcasting the exploitation across digital networks. He wasn’t stopping there.

Prosecutors presented evidence demonstrating that from January 1, 2011, through January 13, 2014, Rolffo-Zavala knowingly transported numerous computer files containing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, again utilizing interstate and foreign commerce. This wasn’t a spontaneous act; it was a calculated and sustained effort to accumulate and disseminate child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

The depravity reached a new level when Rolffo-Zavala traveled from California to Ohio on or around January 16, 2014, with the explicit intent of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a 14-year-old girl. This cross-state journey was a pre-planned act of predation, demonstrating the lengths to which he would go to satisfy his twisted desires. The Akron office of the FBI, along with the Medina City Police Department, swiftly moved to intercept and investigate.

“This sentence sends a clear message that the sexual exploitation of children will not be tolerated,” stated Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Cleveland office, in a joint statement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael A. Sullivan. The investigation itself was a collaborative effort between federal and local law enforcement, highlighting the importance of interagency cooperation in combating these heinous crimes.

Following completion of his prison sentence, Rolffo-Zavala, a Peruvian national, will be deported back to his country of origin. However, the damage he has inflicted on his victims will undoubtedly last a lifetime. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the ongoing fight against child exploitation and those who prey on the vulnerable.