Edgar Ali Cerda, Child Pornography, Florida 2023

In a shocking turn of events, Edgar Ali Cerda, a 49-year-old former Army lieutenant colonel, pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography in a federal district court in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This disturbing revelation has sent shockwaves through the community.

According to the investigation, law enforcement officers executed a residential search warrant at Cerda's home on March 10, 2021. An examination of Cerda's electronic devices revealed multiple images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children under 12 years of age, with one victim as young as four years old. Forensic evidence also revealed that Cerda shared some of the images within a group chat. Law enforcement officers arrested Cerda, who was home at the time.

Cerda, a resident of Cooper City, Florida, was employed with the United States Army at the time of the crimes. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison and up to a lifetime of supervised release. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 28, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Rodney Smith.

The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Markenzy Lapointe, announced the guilty plea alongside Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey B. Veltri of the FBI's Miami Field Office and Sheriff Gregory Tony of the Broward Sheriff's Office. The investigation was conducted by the FBI Miami and the Broward Sheriff's Office with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

The guilty plea brings an end to Cerda's reign of sexual exploitation. As he awaits sentencing, it is essential to acknowledge the severity of his crimes and the harm caused to the victims. It is only through continued efforts to combat child exploitation that we can ensure the safety and well-being of our children.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-60115.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/former-army-lieutenant-colonel-pleads-guilty-possessing-child-pornography