PROVIDENCE, RI – Melvin Vidal Herrera Perez, 21, of Cumberland, Rhode Island, will spend the next 78 months in federal prison after being sentenced today for a calculated campaign of cyberstalking and the distribution of horrific child sexual abuse material. U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy handed down the sentence, along with a decade of supervised release and a requirement for Perez to register as a sex offender. The court also ordered Perez to pay $38,000 in restitution to the victim, as mandated by the Justice for Victims Act of 2015 and the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.
Perez pleaded guilty in May 2025 to one count of cyberstalking and four counts of distributing child pornography. The case details a disturbing pattern of grooming and control. Perez initially befriended the victim online when she was just fourteen years old, fostering a relationship that lasted roughly four years. During this time, he actively encouraged the victim to send him sexually explicit images of herself – a predatory act that laid the groundwork for future abuse.
The abuse didn’t end when the victim attempted to sever ties at age nineteen. Instead, Perez unleashed a relentless barrage of harassment and threats. According to court documents, he created a Google Drive link containing child pornography he had previously solicited from the victim. He then amplified the harm by establishing social media accounts specifically to display sexually explicit images of her, sharing these links and images widely through texts, emails, and across social media platforms, targeting her personal and social circles.
The sheer malice of Perez’s actions is chilling. Disturbingly, court records reveal that Perez justified his behavior, claiming he was “doing God’s work” while simultaneously inflicting emotional trauma on his victim and disseminating illegal and deeply damaging material. This callous disregard for the victim’s well-being underscores the severity of his crimes.
Assistant United States Attorney Julie M. White prosecuted the case, which was the result of a thorough investigation by the FBI, with crucial support from the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office and other Philadelphia-area law enforcement agencies. The FBI’s work brought this predator to justice, highlighting the importance of cross-jurisdictional cooperation in combating online exploitation.
This case was brought under the umbrella of Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to aggressively combat the escalating epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood mobilizes federal, state, and local resources to identify, apprehend, and prosecute those who prey on children, while simultaneously working to rescue victims. More information on Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc. This sentencing sends a clear message: those who exploit and abuse children will be held accountable.
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Key Facts
- State: Rhode Island
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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