David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on October 30, 2025, HERNAN AYALA, 33, of Manchester, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to 348 months of imprisonment, followed by 40 years of supervised release, for child exploitation offenses related to his sexual abuse of a minor.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2024, the Manchester Police Department received a complaint that a minor female had been sexually abused by Ayala.  The minor female reported that Ayala had engaged in sexual conduct with her for more than eight years, and that Ayala had recorded his sexual abuse of her on his cellphone.  On that date, investigators searched Ayala’s residence and seized several electronic devices, including his iPhone.  Analysis of the seized phone revealed numerous videos and images of Ayala engaging in sexual conduct with the minor victim.

Ayala has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on March 9, 2024.  On July 8, 2025, he pleaded guilty in federal court to production of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Manchester Police Department, the Glastonbury Police Department, and the Connecticut Center for Digital Investigations.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nancy V. Gifford.

U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the State’s Attorney’s Offices for the Judicial Districts of Hartford and Tolland for their cooperation in the investigation and prosecution of this case.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.