PRINEVILLE, Ore. -- A Prineville man was sentenced Wednesday to seven years in prison and three years' post-prison supervision by Crook County Circuit Court Judge Wade Whiting. The sentencing followed a jury trial conviction last month on several counts of encouraging child sexual abuse involving downloaded videos.

Angel Avila, 23, was convicted of six first-degree and seven second-degree counts of encouraging child sexual abuse stemming from his download and possession of child sexual abuse material (known as CSAM), District Attorney Kari Hathorn said in a news release.

The first-degree counts are Class B felonies and the second-degree counts are Class C felonies.

In addition to his prison sentence, Avila is required to register as a sex offender, the district attorney said.

Hathorn said, “The possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material is not a victimless crime. Every image and video represents ongoing exploitation of a child. This material inflicts lasting trauma and perpetuates abuse against children. I thank the dedicated detectives whose thorough investigation helped our office hold this defendant accountable.”

The investigation began after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a cyber tip, which it then forwarded to the Oregon Department of Justice Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task force and the Prineville Police Department. Prineville detectives located seven CSAM videos downloaded by Avila, Hathorn said.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Paxton Deuel.

The 12-member jury heard the case in a two-day trial August 3 and 4, court records show. They show Avila pleaded not guilty to seven initial charges last December and the other six in late May.

According to an indictment returned by a grand jury in May, most of the crimes occurred on or about July 15, 2024, but one second-degree count happened between November 1 and December 9 of last year.

The Crook County District Attorney’s Office thanked the investigators who brought the case to justice, including case agent Detective Jacob Gentry and Detective Sergeant Jordan Zamora with the Prineville Police Department, Detective Pat Hartley with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Digital Forensics Laboratory, and Detective Jared Wiebold with the Bend Police Department.

Deschutes County court records show Avila pleaded guilty in May of 2025 to charges of DUII, initiating a false police report and second-degree criminal mischief. He was ordered to a diversion program, to take part in a victim impact panel, use an ignition interlock device and had his driver's license suspended for 90 days. He also was sentenced to five days in jail and a one-year bench probation.