Lowell Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Child Pornography

BOSTON – In a shocking case, a Lowell man was sentenced to five years in prison for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material. Steven Estrada Ramirez, 23, was handed the sentence by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris.

Estrada pleaded guilty to receipt and possession of child pornography in November 2025. The 23-year-old was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2024. He was identified as a participant in multiple groups on a mobile chat application where users shared and viewed CSAM.

During his arrest, Estrada was found to be in possession of a USB drive containing over 700 video files depicting CSAM, including files of children who appeared to be approximately one to eight years old. The home screen of his cell phone also depicted an image of CSAM, and the phone contained over 5,000 images and videos of CSAM.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Maynard and Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. The project was created by the Attorney General in 2006 and aims to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as rescue victims.

Estrada is subject to deportation upon completion of the sentence. He will serve five years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. The case highlights the importance of the Project Safe Childhood initiative in protecting children from exploitation and abuse.

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