SYRACUSE, N.Y. - A criminal illegal alien from Mexico received a 25-year federal prison sentence Jan. 22 for three charges of distribution of child sexual abuse material following an investigation by ICE Homeland Security Investigations Buffalo and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York. Edwin Morones, 23, who formerly resided in Watertown, must also serve a 15-year term of supervised release following his incarceration and will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release.

"Edwin Morones, a Mexican national illegally in our country, shamelessly abused his unlawful presence to prey on children and distribute vile content online," said HSI Buffalo Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan. "Together with our law enforcement partners, HSI Syracuse will bring predators in our communities to justice, no matter their background or status, as reflected with today's sentence. HSI Syracuse will continue to defend our neighborhoods and safeguard our children from those who exploit our most vulnerable and flout U.S. rule of law."

As part of his September 2025 guilty plea, Morones admitted that during November and December 2024, he used a social media platform to participate in groups dedicated to trading child sexual abuse material and sent numerous files to other users, including child sexual abuse material Morones had personally created. He also distributed non-pornographic but sexually explicit images of children that he personally created. An analysis of Morones' social media account revealed more than a dozen images and videos constituting child sexual abuse material.

Morones was admitted to the U.S. on or about January 24, 2014, at or near Presidio, Texas, as a nonimmigrant visitor for pleasure. He was authorized to remain in the U.S. until July 10, 2014, at which time he failed to depart the country and in turn violated the Immigration and Nationality Act.

He will undergo immigration proceedings upon the completion of his prison sentence.

"The defendant, who was illegally present in the U.S., used what he thought was a secure social media platform to distribute child pornography and indulge his sick sexual fantasies," said acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of New York John A. Sarcone III. "But our law enforcement partners, including the dedicated agents at HSI, have methods to monitor and identify child predators, no matter how they communicate. We thank those who work with law enforcement and honor their oaths to protect and defend the Constitution from all enemies, foreign and domestic, by apprehending dangerous criminals like this. We cannot play politics in ensuring the safety and security of the citizens we serve."

HSI investigated the case with assistance from the New York State Police and ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations.