Miami Man Sentenced To More Than 20 Years For Producing And Attempting To Produce Child Sexual Abuse Materials Using Hidden Cameras

Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Wendy W. Berger has sentenced Gray Edward Rivera (46, Miami) to 21 years and 10 months in federal prison for production and attempted production of child sexual abuse materials.  Once Rivera is released from prison, he will be required to serve a 10-year period of supervised release. Gray Edward Rivera was found guilty by a jury on September 5, 2024.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Rivera gifted three items – a Bluetooth speaker, calendar/clock, and a USB charging tower – containing hidden cameras to a child and set them up in the child’s bedroom. In addition, a hidden camera smoke detector was discovered in the living room area. Those cameras were later discovered by the child’s mother, and she contacted the Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO). Rivera was out of the country at the time.

The CCSO partnered with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and obtained Rivera’s cell phones when he re-entered the United States via a border search.  A review of Rivera’s cell phones resulted in the discovery of 14 files containing child sexual abuse material of the child, as well as phone activity related to the use of the app for controlling the hidden cameras. Records obtained by law enforcement showed that Rivera had purchased three of the hidden cameras online. 

“This predator’s use of hidden cameras to spy on a child in intimate areas in her own home is a heinous violation of trust and privacy,” said Tim Hemker, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Jacksonville Assistant Special Agent in Charge. “Thanks to the diligent efforts of the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force, and the protective nature of the victim’s mother, this predator will now spend more than two decades behind bars for his appalling actions. This investigation underscores our commitment to protecting vulnerable individuals and pursuing justice for those who seek to exploit and harm children.”

This case was investigated by the Northeast Florida INTERCEPT Task Force, to include Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Jacksonville, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, , and the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley Washington.

This 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 the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.