California Man Sentenced to Over 24 Years for Running Dark Web Child Exploitation Sites

• An individual from Sacramento got 24 of the maximum of 40 years in prison for operating CSAM websites.
• The man exploited public Wi-Fi at coffee shops to manage these sites from December 2021 until November 2022.
• The individual pleaded guilty in 2024 to seven counts of distribution and one count of possession of child pornography.

The operator of four distinct dark web platforms dedicated to the exploitation and abuse of children was sentenced to 24 years and four months in federal prison for advertising, distributing, and exchanging child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). 

Court records reveal that Louis Donald Mendonsa, 62, from Sacramento, managed these sites from December 2021 until his arrest in November 2022. 

Exploiting public Wi-Fi at coffee shops, Mendonsa actively participated in distributing content, including images of children as young as infants and toddlers. A search of his devices uncovered over 6,500 CSAM files, many involving victims directly linked to his activities.

Mendonsa pleaded guilty in April 2024 to seven counts of distribution and one count of possession of child pornography. 

His sentencing marks a decisive outcome in a case led by federal and local law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Francisco and local Sacramento-area law enforcement.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) collaborated with agencies like the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, the Sacramento Police Department, and the High Technology Investigative Unit within the DOJ's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) for their roles.

“This sentencing highlights the importance of steadfast collaboration among law enforcement agencies to combat heinous crimes against children,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith. “Our shared commitment is to bring perpetrators to justice while protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities.”

The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a DOJ initiative launched in 2006 to combat the growing online exploitation and abuse of children. The program marshals federal, state, and local resources to prosecute offenders and safeguard victims.

Last year, a federal jury convicted Craig James Myran, 47, of Bemidji, Minnesota, for his involvement in advertising, distributing, and possessing CSAM.