28°
Alexander Dilella, age 22, of Stratford, was arrested Wednesday, May 4, on multiple federal charges related to child exploitation, the US Attorney’s Office said.
Federal prosecutors claim Dilella communicated with the girls - some as young as 13 or 14 - using Snapchat, Omegle, and FaceTime and enticed them to engage in illegal sexual activity.
In one exchange with a 14-year-old victim, he referred to the girl as a “child porn slave” and demanded that she send him a sexually explicit image of herself, prosecutors said.
Investigators also found multiple videos on his phone of prepubescent children being sexually abused, prosecutors said.
Dilella was charged with enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
If convicted on all charges, he could spend anywhere from 10 years to life in prison.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with help from the Stratford and Milford police departments.
To report suspected cases of child exploitation, visit cybertipline.com.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Hartford and receive free news updates.
