A Sturgis man has been found guilty of possession of child sexually abusive material after a two-day trial, according to the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office.
According to ABC 57 News, Adalberto Garcia, 24, was found guilty of using the internet to commit a crime. He was also found guilty of two counts of aggravated possession of child sexually abusive material.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children got a tip from SnapChat in April 2021 related to an account under the screen name “officialalpha-j.” The account was tracked to a residence in the 100 block of Susan Street in Sturgis.
Police gathered search warrants for SnapChat and Charter Communications before contacting Garcia and searching his home.
Garcia was previously convicted of criminal sexual conduct in the 4th degree, and reports say that he was on felony probation at the time of the incident.
His sentencing is planned for July 22, and he faces a maximum of over 20 years in prison due to being a habitual second offender.