San Diego Man Sentenced to Over 9 Years for Child Porn Distribution

WASHINGTON – In a stunning revelation, Eduardo Alberto Zelaya Vides, 31, of San Diego, California, was today sentenced to 108 months in prison for the distribution of child pornography. The sentence comes after Zelaya Vides repeatedly posted and encouraged others to share sexual abuse materials within an online chatroom, according to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.

Zelaya Vides pleaded guilty on February 7, 2025, in the District of Columbia before U.S. District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell. The conviction was for one count of distribution of child pornography. In addition to the prison term, Zelaya Vides has been ordered to serve 15 years of supervised release, register as a sex offender, and pay $106,500 in restitution to the victims.

Steven J. Jensen, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, announced that the investigation into Zelaya Vides’s actions led to his arrest on May 10, 2024. During a search of his home, agents recovered over 2,000 digital files depicting child sexual abuse.

According to court documents, Zelaya Vides was an active member of an instant messaging group dedicated to discussing and sharing child pornography. He admitted his participation in the chatroom, acknowledging that the images depicted minors under the age of 18.

The case against Zelaya Vides was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Shinskie prosecuted the case. This prosecution is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, aimed at protecting children from online exploitation.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

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