An Absecon man allegedly made rules about sharing child pornography on a group he led, including that only videos of young girls be posted.
“Please don’t post adult videos, or links to adult websites like
atube” Carlos Santiago Gomez wrote as administrator of an instant messaging group that traded image of child sexual abuse, according to a federal complaint.
Santiago Gomez, 27, turned himself in to the FBI’s Atlantic City office Wednesday morning, after returning from a business trip to Texas, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said.
More than 1,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse have already been found on his electronic devices, and the search is not yet complete, Carpenito said.
Santiago Gomez is charged with one count of receiving child pornography and one count of distributing child pornography.
From April 2016 through March 27, 2018, Santiago Gomez allegedly viewed, received and distributed images of child sexual abuse, including images of prepubescent children, Carpenito said.
Rules for the group on the instant messaging app KIK stated: “Newcomers, welcome. There are just some rules to keep in mind when posting and maintaining your position. 1. Girls only 2. No Toddler 3. Videos only, no links no pictures. 4. Goes without saying but be active. Thanks and enjoy.
“Please don’t post adult videos,” he admonished.
“If you’re using FREENET, you might as well call the cops and turn yourself in," warned the IT worker. "TOR, though not 100% safe by default, is slow but way better than FREENET.”
Santiago Gomez was working as an implementation specialist, according to his LinkedIn page.
"I am a dedicated and self-driven individual who is currently seeking to advance my Career in the IT field," he wrote.
Law enforcement seized numerous computers and electronic devices from Santiago Gomez’s home, including his cellular phone.
Each count of receiving or distributing child pornography carries a possible sentence of five to 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine.
