Avon Man Pleads Guilty To Child Exploitation Charge: Feds

AVON, CT — An Avon man has pleaded guilty to a child exploitation crime, according to a statement from prosecutors. Michael Ferro, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography.

According to prosecutors, on Aug. 18, 2021, Ferro, using the Kik social media application, began chatting in a Kik group with an FBI Online Covert Employee (“OCE”) who was posing as a father of a 12-year-old girl.

After Ferro determined that the OCE was engaging in sexual activity with his “daughter,” he sent the OCE a photo depicting the genitals of a child, according to prosecutors.

Ferro then stated that he had more pictures to share, and expressed an interest in meeting the OCE’s daughter to engage in sexual activity.

After confirming Ferro’s identity, investigators traveled to Ferro’s Avon home late in the evening Aug. 18, informed him of the investigation, and seized his cell phone.

Ferro was arrested on a criminal complaint Sept. 29.

Ferro's sentencing is scheduled May 24. Ferro faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.