Elliott Velez, 38, of Arizona, was located in Newport News during the time of his illegal conduct.
According to court documents, from summer of 2021 through March 2022, Velez used more than 28 fictitious social media accounts across multiple platforms to engage in sexually graphic conversations with girls under the age of 18.
During these conversations with the victims, Velez would instruct them to engage in sexually explicit conduct, take photos or videos, and send the images to him. Velez would give explicit instructions on what he wanted them to do and who he wanted them to engage in sexually explicit conduct with, including other underage individuals.
Review of just one account during the span of just one week Velez had engaged in over 7,000 lines of sexually graphic conversations with minors.
Velez would use a recording device on his phone to ensure that he could keep these videos and images without the victim’s knowledge.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Brian Dugan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; Derek W. Gordon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C.; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Heath prosecuted the case.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Norfolk Child Exploitation Task Force, as part of Project Safe Childhood. The NCETF is composed of FBI agents and detectives from the Chesapeake Police Department, Hampton Police Division and Newport News Police Department. Assistance in this matter was also provided by federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children.
Tips regarding child exploitation can be provided to the task force at (800) CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov.
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Crystal Graham
