Alexandria man convicted of repeat child sexual abuse material charges

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - A district court judge yesterday convicted a prior sex offender of distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) while on supervised release.

"Following his previous conviction for child sexual abuse material, Antonio Gonzalez knew what he was doing was illegal and knew the consequences," said U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. "Instead of embracing a respect for the law and the vulnerable lives it protects, Gonzalez returned to his previous crimes with no regard for those harmed by sexual exploitation. We will tirelessly prosecute anyone engaging in these detestable crimes, and we will continue to pursue anyone who refuses to reform."

"This defendant continued to sexually exploit children online while on court-ordered supervision, following an earlier conviction for similar conduct," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. "Thanks to the tireless efforts and enduring dedication of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors, this defendant has been held accountable for his continued exploitation of children and now faces a fifteen-year mandatory minimum sentence."

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in April 2024, law enforcement began investigating Antonio Rudy Gonzalez, 41, for distributing CSAM on Kik, a mobile-based messaging platform. Gonzalez sent images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct to multiple other Kik users. In 2013, Gonzalez was convicted in the Eastern District of Virginia of distribution of child pornography.

Gonzales is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of fifteen years and up to 40 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema delivered the verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Strobbe and Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney's Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood 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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-213.