Source: United States Department of Justice News
NEWARK, N.J. – A Hudson County, New Jersey, man today admitted soliciting victims online to send images and videos of sexually explicit conduct, and possessing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.
Erick Solis, 25, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of solicitation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
According to the documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From July 2020 to February 2021, Solis used a social media application to engage two underage victims in sexually explicit conversations. Solis requested that both victims take sexually explicit photographs and videos of themselves and send them to him.
The count of solicitation of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The count of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for June 21, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents with the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dong Joo Lee of the Office’s OCDETF/Narcotics Unit.