Composer pleads guilty to child porn charges

By Natalie Caula ncaula@postandcourier.com

A Charleston man who composed music for “Sesame Street” and the Disney Channel pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of making and sending child pornography.

Fernando Rivas, 60, was charged with a total of three counts, which also included possession of child pornography. That count was dismissed as part of the plea agreement made today.

The agreement outlines the possible penalties Rivas may face during sentencing. For making child pornography Rivas can be sentenced 15 to 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and a lifetime of supervised release. For sending child pornography, he faces five to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Investigators were led to Rivas after making an arrest involving child pornography in New Jersey, according to a North Charleston police report. Authorities found photographs of a 4-year-old girl naked and restrained at Rivas’ home, according to court records.

Rivas admitted to taking the photographs and using handcuffs to restrain the girl as well as sending the pictures to two other people by email, court records stated, and was arrested in Nov. 2011.

After moving to Charleston from New York, Rivas started a jazz program for students at Porter-Gaud School from 2002-2009.

Rivas will be sentenced in the next few months, according to federal prosecutors. Rivas’ attorney did not immediately return our call for comment.