Ecuadorian National Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Recording His Sexual Abuse of Minor Victim

David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ENRIQUE PAULO PUCHA-JIMENEZ, 34, a citizen of Ecuador last residing in Danbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 300 months of imprisonment for recording his sexual abuse of a minor girl.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on multiple occasions between November 2020 and August 2023, Pucha-Jimenez sexually abused a minor girl, who was between the approximate ages of nine and 12, and used his cellphone to take photographs and videos of his sexual abuse of the victim. 

On August 16, 2023, Danbury Police arrested Pucha-Jimenez on state sexual assault and risk of injury offenses.  Subsequent forensic analysis of Pucha-Jimenez’s cellphone revealed 576 images and 36 videos of child sex abuse material involving the minor victim.

Pucha-Jimenez has been detained since his arrest.  On August 1, 2024, he pleaded guilty in federal court to production of child pornography.  The state charges against Pucha-Jimenez are pending.

Pucha-Jimenez faces immigration proceedings when he completes his prison term.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Danbury Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings with the assistance of the Office of the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Danbury.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.