A Welcome To Video User Sentenced to Federal Prison
One of the most prolific users of the now-defunct dark web child pornography site, Welcome To Video, was sentenced to over 17 years in prison.
According to court documents, 32-year-old Vincent Galarza of New York, was sentenced after he admitted he was involved in the sexual exploitation of children and distribution of child pornography through the site.
The case against Galarza stemmed from the arrest of the admin of Welcome To Video and the site's seizure in March 2018. Galarza was one of the over 300 users of the site identified and charged based on information acquired from the site's servers.
The investigating authorities identified Galarza as one of the site's users after reviewing its bitcoin deposit records. One of the bitcoin deposits by a user going by the username "thisthishold" was traced back to Galarza's account on an undisclosed crypto exchange.
A review of thisthishold’s account revealed that between May 2017, and February 2018, the user downloaded approximately 174 child abuse videos from the website. From June 2016, to December 2016, thisthishold
uploaded approximately 560 child pornography videos to the website.
The investigators executed an arrest warrant against Galarza in December 2018. A search of electronic devices seized from his residence led to the identification of two children he had been secretly recording.
On January 17, 2023, Galarza pleaded guilty to one count each of sexual exploitation of children and conspiracy to distribute child pornography.
He was sentenced to 17 years and six months in prison on July 7, 2023.
In addition to Galarza, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia disclosed it had successfully prosecuted seven more users of the site.
The 47-year-old from Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 15 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography and money laundering.
Stengel was found in possession of over 6,000 videos and 600,000 images downloaded from the website.
Wunderlich, 36, of California, uploaded 13 videos and downloaded four videos of child pornography from the website. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute child pornography.
He was sentenced to 7 years and three months in prison and 15 years of supervised release in June 2022.
The 72-year-old from Washington uploaded 84 videos and downloaded 40 videos of child pornography from the website. A forensic review of his electronic devices revealed he possessed an additional 92 images and 22 videos of child pornography.
Wagner pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute child pornography and was sentenced to 5 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release in June 2021.
Darryl Miller, 36, of Kansas, downloaded approximately 20 gigabytes of child abuse material from the website and was found in possession of 57 child pornography images on his devices.
He pleaded guilty to access with intent to view child pornography. He was sentenced to five years in prison and five years of supervised release in September 2020.
DeJournett, 47, of California downloaded 113 videos of child pornography from the website.
He was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release in July 2021, after he pleaded guilty to access with intent to view child pornography.
LaPrath, 36, from California, pleaded guilty to laundering monetary instruments. LaPrath was sentenced to a year and six months in prison on June 19, 2019.
Ezeagbor 24, of Texas, uploaded ten videos and downloaded 42 videos of child pornography from the site. Analysis of his electronic revealed he was in possession of additional 190 images and 14 videos of child abuse material.
He was sentenced to time served and five years of supervised release in June 2021, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute child pornography.
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According to court documents, 32-year-old Vincent Galarza of New York, was sentenced after he admitted he was involved in the sexual exploitation of children and distribution of child pornography through the site.
The case against Galarza stemmed from the arrest of the admin of Welcome To Video and the site's seizure in March 2018. Galarza was one of the over 300 users of the site identified and charged based on information acquired from the site's servers.
The investigating authorities identified Galarza as one of the site's users after reviewing its bitcoin deposit records. One of the bitcoin deposits by a user going by the username "thisthishold" was traced back to Galarza's account on an undisclosed crypto exchange.
A review of thisthishold’s account revealed that between May 2017, and February 2018, the user downloaded approximately 174 child abuse videos from the website. From June 2016, to December 2016, thisthishold
uploaded approximately 560 child pornography videos to the website.
The investigators executed an arrest warrant against Galarza in December 2018. A search of electronic devices seized from his residence led to the identification of two children he had been secretly recording.
On January 17, 2023, Galarza pleaded guilty to one count each of sexual exploitation of children and conspiracy to distribute child pornography.
He was sentenced to 17 years and six months in prison on July 7, 2023.
In addition to Galarza, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia disclosed it had successfully prosecuted seven more users of the site.
Nicholas Stengel
The 47-year-old from Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 15 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography and money laundering.
Stengel was found in possession of over 6,000 videos and 600,000 images downloaded from the website.
Charles Wunderlich
Wunderlich, 36, of California, uploaded 13 videos and downloaded four videos of child pornography from the website. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute child pornography.
He was sentenced to 7 years and three months in prison and 15 years of supervised release in June 2022.
Ernest Wagner
The 72-year-old from Washington uploaded 84 videos and downloaded 40 videos of child pornography from the website. A forensic review of his electronic devices revealed he possessed an additional 92 images and 22 videos of child pornography.
Wagner pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute child pornography and was sentenced to 5 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release in June 2021.
Darryl Miller
Darryl Miller, 36, of Kansas, downloaded approximately 20 gigabytes of child abuse material from the website and was found in possession of 57 child pornography images on his devices.
He pleaded guilty to access with intent to view child pornography. He was sentenced to five years in prison and five years of supervised release in September 2020.
Jason DeJournett
DeJournett, 47, of California downloaded 113 videos of child pornography from the website.
He was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release in July 2021, after he pleaded guilty to access with intent to view child pornography.
Brian LaPrath
LaPrath, 36, from California, pleaded guilty to laundering monetary instruments. LaPrath was sentenced to a year and six months in prison on June 19, 2019.
Michael Ezeagbor
Ezeagbor 24, of Texas, uploaded ten videos and downloaded 42 videos of child pornography from the site. Analysis of his electronic revealed he was in possession of additional 190 images and 14 videos of child abuse material.
He was sentenced to time served and five years of supervised release in June 2021, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute child pornography.
