A Geelong man has been sentenced to a term of imprisonment after pleading guilty to importing child abuse material. Hacavitz Campos, 29, appeared in the County Court of Victoria where he was handed a three-year jail sentence, with a non-parole period of 18 months.
Details of the Offence
Campos was arrested in May 2022 following an investigation by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and Victoria Police. The investigation began after authorities received a report from the United States National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding an individual in Australia who had uploaded child abuse material to an online platform.
Police executed a search warrant at Campos' home in Geelong, where they seized several electronic devices. A forensic examination of these devices revealed thousands of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. The material included content involving children as young as infants.
Court Proceedings
During the sentencing hearing, the court heard that Campos had been accessing and sharing child abuse material for several years. He was charged with one count of importing child abuse material and one count of possessing child abuse material. Campos pleaded guilty to both charges.
Judge Frances Hogan described the offending as "serious" and noted that Campos had demonstrated a "persistent and deliberate" pattern of behaviour. She also acknowledged his early guilty plea and some expressions of remorse, but emphasised the need for general deterrence and denunciation of such crimes.
Police Response
AFP Detective Superintendent Sarah Smith said the sentence sends a strong message that child abuse material will not be tolerated. "The AFP and our partners are committed to identifying and prosecuting those who seek to exploit children in this way," she said. "Every time an image or video of child abuse is viewed, the child is re-victimised. We urge anyone with information about such activity to come forward."
The investigation was part of Operation Tenterfield, a national AFP operation targeting online child exploitation. The AFP also works closely with international agencies to combat the global trade in child abuse material.
Support Services
Members of the public who may be experiencing distress or who have concerns about their own behaviour can contact support services such as the National Sexual Assault, Domestic Family Violence Counselling Service (1800RESPECT) or the Men's Referral Service. The AFP also encourages anyone with information about child exploitation to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
