This Ada County man had 1,000 child sex abuse videos, photos. Here’s his prison sentence
A 33-year-old Ada County man was sentenced to up to 25 years in prison for possessing and producing child pornography, according to a news release from the Idaho Attorney General’s Office.
Manuel Paul Apalatequi pleaded guilty to felony sexual exploitation of a child by production of sexually exploitative material and felony sexual exploitation of a child by possession of sexually exploitative material.
He was sentenced on June 28 by District Judge Derrick O’Neill in Ada County, but the term of 25 years carries five years fixed and 20 years indeterminate, meaning he could be eligible for parole after serving five. He was also ordered to have no contact with the victims for 30 years, and he must register as a sex offender upon his release.
The Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit received numerous CyberTips from Synchronoss Technologies in which child sexual abuse material was being uploaded between summer 2022 and late 2023, the release said, and it was from a phone number associated with Apalatequi.
Officers obtained a search warrant for his home and phone, and said they discovered about 1,000 files of child sexual abuse material. Apalatequi also was having conversations with underage girls that included exchanging of sexually explicit photos and videos, according to the release. He threatened to release one victim’s photos unless she sent him more, authorities said.
“I’m grateful for the hard work done by ICAC investigators and the prosecutor in this case,” Attorney General Raul Labrador said in the release. “A sentence of this magnitude speaks to the seriousness of the crimes committed, and it’s one more predator off the streets instead of targeting our children for sexual abuse and extortion.”
The Boise Police Department assisted in the investigation, and Deputy Attorney General Madison Allen prosecuted the case.
