Source: Office of United States Attorneys
A Sioux City man was sentenced May 15, 2025, to more than 7 years in federal prison.
Uriah Jordan Buffalo Chief-Torrez, II, 36, from Sioux City, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 21, 2025, guilty plea to receipt and possession of child pornography.
At the sentencing hearing, evidence showed Buffalo Chief-Torrez was found to be in receipt of and possession of child pornography. In September and October 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children submitted to law enforcement six CyberTip reports from Synchronoss showed Buffalo Chief-Torrez uploaded approximately 56 files containing child sexual abuse material. In an interview with law enforcement, Buffalo Chief-Torrez admitted individuals on several social media platforms had tried to show and sell him child pornography. Buffalo Chief-Torrez admitted that individuals on Telegram would sell him “CP” for $65. Buffalo Chief-Torrez admitted that he viewed 15 or 16 videos of child pornography. Buffalo Chief-Torrez admitted he downloaded child pornography on nine separate occasions and had streamed child pornography on social media. Forensic analysis of defendant’s phone showed he possessed 24 images and 56 videos of child pornography. The images and videos contained material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct or the sexual abuse and exploitation of infants and toddlers.
Buffalo Chief-Torrez was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Buffalo Chief-Torrez was sentenced to 90 months’ imprisonment. He was also ordered to pay $4,200 in restitution and assessments. He must also serve a 5-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Buffalo Chief-Torrez is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-4029.