Man gets 40 years for molesting two underage girls

A former Chicago man was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison Thursday for molesting two underage girls and producing child pornography.

Edgar Hernandez, 36, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count each of manufacturing and possessing child pornography, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s office.

According to court records, Hernandez was living in an apartment in Chicago when a 7-year-old girl had a “series of occasional overnight visits” between September and December 2009. He engaged in sexual conduct with the victim roughly a dozen times, and used the digital camera on his cell phone to make two recordings of the abuse.

The girl’s relative discovered the videos in December 2009 and contacted Chicago Police, who began a joint investigation with the FBI, according to the statement. During the investigation, authorities discovered Hernandez’s sexual abuse of the 15-year-old girl, including additional videos.

Hernandez learned the abuse was reported to authorities and fled to Mexico with the teenage victim on Dec. 24, 2009, according to the statement. That victim was reunited with her family in early 2010, but Hernandez remained a fugitive.

He was arrested in Mexico in April 2013 and returned to Chicago last October, according to the statement.

U.S. District Judge Samuel Der-Yeghiayan handed down the 40-year sentence at hearing Thursday, according to the statement. One of Herandez’s victims testified at the hearing.