Cyberstalking Child Pornographer Sentenced to 78 Months: Feds

CUMBERLAND, RI — A Cumberland man was sentenced to six and a half years in federal prison for cyberstalking and distributing child pornography, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Melvin Vidal Herrera Perez, 21, pleaded guilty to the charges in May, according to a media release from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

See also: Barrington Bus Monitor Charged With Molesting Children: Cops

Perez "marginalized and controlled" a young woman he befriended online when she was 14, and then "harassed and threatened when she attempted to end their friendship" after she turned 19, the release said.

See also: Providence Man Possessed Child Pornography: Cops

Before the woman attempted to end her "friendship" with Perez, he "encouraged her to provide him with sexually explicit images of herself," according to the release.

See also: 2 Sentenced For 'Sweeping' Burglary Spree Across RI, Other States: Feds

"In the fall of 2024, Perez used a variety of tactics to intentionally cause serious emotional distress to the woman by creating a Google Drive link containing images of child pornography produced at Perez’s request years’ prior; setting up social media accounts to display sexually explicit images of the victim; providing those links to others, linking to them to a social media platform; texting and emailing explicit images of the victim and providing the website links to a wide number of individuals in her personal and social circles," and while committing these crimes claimed he was “doing God’s work,” the release said.

See also: RI And CT AGs Threaten To Sue Trump Administration Over Wind Farm Work Stoppage