A Norwalk resident, Rudolph Girdhari, 36, pleaded guilty in Hartford federal court to possession of child pornography after waiving his right to be indicted. The announcement was made by David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents and statements made during the proceedings, Girdhari was previously convicted in state court in May 2012 for possession of child pornography in the second degree. He received a sentence of 10 years imprisonment, with execution suspended after two years served and 20 years probation.
An FBI investigation into individuals trading child sex abuse images and videos on Wickr led authorities to an email address associated with Girdhari. This address was found to have accessed two networks on Wickr dedicated to trading such material in 2022 and 2023.
On May 2, 2024, investigators executed a court-authorized search at Girdhari’s residence. They seized multiple electronic devices including phones, tablets, computers, hard drives, and thumb drives. Analysis revealed more than 2,000 images and videos depicting child sexual abuse.
Girdhari has been detained since his arrest on May 16, 2024 for violating state probation.
Sentencing is set for February 27, 2026. Due to his prior conviction for possession of child pornography, he faces an enhanced penalty: a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of ten years and a maximum term of twenty years.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Office of Adult Probation and the Norwalk Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia E. King is prosecuting the 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,” according to information provided by authorities. More details about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
Reports regarding cases involving child exploitation can be submitted through www.cybertipline.com.