Elmwood Park man gets 22 years for child porn

ELMWOOD PARK — A west suburban man was sentenced to 22 years in federal prison Wednesday for making child pornography with two 16-year-old girls he met in Internet chat rooms.

Mark Barreto, 36, of Elmwood Park, pleaded guilty in June to one count of manufacturing child pornography, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s office.

U.S. District Judge Edmond Chang handed down the 22-year sentence Wednesday, noting the “extremely serious” nature of Barreto’s crime.

Chang also ordered Barreto placed on court supervision for 10 years following his release from prison, and ordered him to pay restitution of $8,600 to a known victim.

“Whatever face [Barreto] may have presented to his family, co-workers, and the world at large, it is now apparent that he spent considerable time collecting and viewing images and videos of young children being raped and sexually abused,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Sawyer argued during the hearing.

U.S. postal inspectors conducted a search of Barreto’s home in October 2012 and found a laptop containing about 433 images and 15 videos child pornography, as well as email accounts showing he had been communicating with various underage females, the statement said.

He induced two girls he met in Internet chat rooms to help him produce images and videos of child pornography, according to the statement.