Manchester Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation Offenses Related to Sexual Abuse Minor

David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that HERNAN AYALA, 33, of Manchester, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to child exploitation offenses related to his sexual abuse of a minor.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2024, the Manchester Police Department received a complaint that a minor female had been sexually abused by Ayala. The minor female reported that Ayala had engaged in sexual conduct with her for more than eight years, and that Ayala had recorded his sexual abuse of her on his cellphone. On that date, investigators searched Ayala's residence and seized several electronic devices, including his iPhone. Analysis of the seized phone revealed numerous videos and images of Ayala engaging in sexual conduct with the minor victim.

Ayala pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and one count of production of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver on September 30.

Ayala has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on March 9, 2024.

This matter has been investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Manchester Police Department, the Glastonbury Police Department, and the Connecticut Center for Digital Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nancy V. Gifford.

U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the State's Attorney's Offices for the Judicial Districts of Hartford and Tolland for their cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit https://www.cybertipline.com.