Las Vegas, Nevada - A Las Vegas man pleaded guilty Wednesday to trading over 600 child pornography images and videos using Kik Messenger, an instant messaging application on mobile devices.

According to court documents and admissions made in court, Cyrus Orlando Ortega, 27, distributed those child pornography images and videos to other Kik Messenger users, in exchange for child pornography from those users. The images and videos depicted underage victims — some as young as toddlers — being sexually exploited.

Ortega pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography. He faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of five years in prison, and a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. U.S. District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey scheduled sentencing for October 4, 2021.

Acting U.S. Attorney Christopher Chiou for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Aaron C. Rouse for the FBI made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Supriya Prasad is prosecuting the case.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.