Louis Donald Mendonsa, 62, was sentenced following a guilty plea for distributing child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) via Dark Web and other online networks after 6,5000 explicit images were found on his devices.
A California resident, Louis Donald Mendonsa (62), has been sentenced to 24 years and four months in federal prison for his involvement in managing four illegal websites on the dark web that shared explicit images and videos of children.
Mendonsa, a Sacramento native, played a key role in maintaining these platforms, which were active from December 2021 until his arrest in November 2022. He received his sentence on February 27, 2025, after pleading guilty in April 2024 to seven counts of distributing CSAM and one count of possession.
The websites, which operated on the dark web, a hidden part of the internet often used for illegal activities only accessible through the Tor browser, allowed users to advertise, distribute, and trade disturbing content involving children. According to the US Department of Justice’s press release, one of the sites even featured material depicting infants and toddlers.
Mendonsa not only managed these platforms but also actively promoted and shared illegal content himself. His activities came to light after law enforcement discovered his actions while he was using public Wi-Fi at a local coffee shop.
Upon arrest, a search of Mendonsa’s electronic devices revealed approximately 6,500 explicit images, confirming the identities of several known victims. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 to combat the alarming rise in child sexual exploitation.
The project brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to track down, arrest, and prosecute individuals who exploit children online, while also working to rescue victims.
