Adam C. Salgado, Jr., 32, of West Haven, was sentenced on March 12 to 72 months in federal prison and seven years of supervised release for receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material, according to United States Attorney David X. Sullivan for the District of Connecticut.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address crimes involving child exploitation and the use of encrypted messaging apps to distribute illegal content.
Court documents show that a cloud-based storage company reported Salgado’s account to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children after discovering videos depicting child sexual abuse. Investigators found that Salgado had repeatedly downloaded and deleted the Telegram app, which he used to connect with others trading in such material and to view or download hundreds of illicit images and videos.
Salgado was arrested on June 5, 2024, in Texas while serving in the U.S. Army. He pleaded guilty on November 10, 2025, to receipt of child pornography. He is currently released on a $100,000 bond and must report to prison on April 16.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Middletown Police Department and the Army Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel George prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative by the U.S. Department of Justice aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc. Reports of child exploitation can be made at www.cybertipline.com.
