East Haven Man, 19, Charged With Child Sexual Abuse Material Possession After National Tip Led Cops To Him

EAST HAVEN, CT—East Haven police have arrested and charged a 19-year-old in a child exploitation investigation, initiated by a notification from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that an East Haven resident possessed child sexual abuse material, police spokesperson Capt. Joseph M. Murgo said.

"This arrest reflects our continued commitment to aggressively pursuing individuals who exploit children," he said. "Protecting children remains one of the highest priorities of the East Haven Police Department."

The investigation began in October 2025

On Oct. 1, 2025, police were contacted by the NCMEC after a complaint was made by a popular instant messaging / social media platform, and an East Haven police investigation was launched, led by Detective Jon Trinh.

The investigation revealed that Jorge Daniel Villegas Lopez, an East Haven resident, was identified through digital forensic analysis, utilized a popular social media platform to distribute child pornography, Murgo said.

On the morning of Nov. 6, 2025, with the sun not yet fully risen, a search and seizure warrant was executed at a residence on North Street by East Haven police, with assistance from Connecticut State Police, including the deployment of an electronic detection K-9. The warrant was for electronic evidence related to the investigation, and "several electronic devices" were seized and sent to the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Forensic Laboratory for analysis, the police captain said.

"The forensic examination identified numerous videos and still images depicting child sexual abuse material," Murgo said.

An arrest warrant was granted and Villegas-Lopez was taken into custody "without incident" on Wednesday, Murgo said.

Villegas-Lopez was charged with Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material and held on $75,000 bond. Murgo said he made his first appearance in court Thursday morning.

"The exploitation of children will not be tolerated in this community," Murgo said. "We will continue to dedicate the necessary resources to thoroughly investigate these crimes, work proactively with our law enforcement partners, and pursue offenders to the fullest extent of the law. Those who exploit children will be held fully accountable."