Fall River Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation

BOSTON (WBSM) — A Fall River registered sex offender has pleaded guilty in federal court to receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material on multiple messaging apps.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Angel Figueroa, 51, pleaded guilty on October 13 to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

Figueroa was arrested in December 2021 after he was identified as an active member of at least four messaging apps where the child sexual abuse materials were being shared in different chat groups.

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The U.S. Attorney’s Office said Figueroa’s cell phone was found to have approximately 523 images and 72 videos of child sexual abuse material depicting children as young as infants, and that at least one image depicted bondage of a child under two years old.

Figueroa admitted to law enforcement that he downloaded, saved and viewed the materials on his phone and had been doing so for one to two years. Figueroa was already a registered Level 2 sex offender after he was convicted in 2013 in Massachusetts for indecent assault and battery on a child under 14 years old.

Figueroa has been in federal custody since the time of his arrest and will remain so until his sentencing, scheduled for January 26, 2024.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the charge of receipt of child pornography after a prior conviction provides a sentence of at least 15 years and up to 40 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

The charge of possession of child pornography after a prior conviction provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.