McKenzie man sentenced to 15 years on child porn charge

McKENZIE, Tenn. — A McKenzie man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for distribution of child pornography.

Seferino Saldivar, 42, pleaded guilty in May to using an internet messaging app to distribute and receive child pornography, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Salidivar was sentenced this week to serve 190 months in federal prison, according to the release.

Investigators say Saldivar used an app called Kik to moderate a chat room where sexually explicit images of female minors were shared. They say he also used the social networking site Mocospace to find people with similar interests and motivate them to join the Kik chatroom.

In June 2015, an undercover officer in Arizona observed users exchange child pornography in the chat room, according to the release.

Investigators received a subpoena and reportedly were able to link Saldivar to his online username and later obtain his McKenzie address.

Officers executed a search warrant at his residence, and a forensic examination of his phone revealed around 50 images of child pornography and Kik chat messages, according to the release.

Saldivar was employed as a truck driver during his criminal activity, the release states.

Anyone who has information about similar cases is asked to contact the Memphis Child Exploitation Task Force at 901-747-4300.