Orléans court hands down 6–16 year sentences to four members of online child abuse network

Verdict

On 11 June 2026, the Loiret criminal court in Orléans sentenced four men to prison terms ranging from 6 to 16 years for their roles in a vast online paedophile ring. Three defendants — Hervé D., Manuel C. and Noé R. — were also convicted of rape of minors, receiving 11, 15 and 16 years respectively. The fourth, Jérémie P., was given six years and was additionally convicted of corruption of a minor. The prosecution had sought sentences of 10 to 20 years. All four were ordered to serve at least two-thirds of their terms and face up to 15 years of judicial supervision after release.

Hervé D.11

Manuel C.15

Noé R.16

Jérémie P.6

Hervé D.

11 years

Manuel C.

15 years

Noé R.

16 years

Jérémie P.

6 years

Data from the article text

Scale of the abuse

Investigators retrieved 930,000 child abuse files from the network. The inquiry identified 120 victims, including 21 French nationals, all aged between 3 and 15. One of them, a girl, was sexually assaulted and raped repeatedly from age 3 to 6, between 2019 and 2021, by Manuel C., an IT professional close to her family.

“Crimes, abominable acts, and monstrous deeds.”

Grooming tactics

The group operated through encrypted messaging apps such as ICQ, Snapchat and Telegram, using fake profiles to befriend and manipulate children — a practice known as grooming. The investigation began in 2022 after gendarmes infiltrated social media platforms. Six members of the network were arrested in 2023; one later died by suicide before trial.

The case of Manuel C.

The most severe sentence, 15 years, was handed to Manuel C., who amassed nearly a third of the 930,000 files. He admitted filming 11 distinct assaults, mostly on Corsican beaches, and storing 91 video files. At trial he claimed an obsessive compulsion to record everything, but denied being attracted to children.

“I had to film everything. The videos stayed on my computer because I didn't delete anything, it's pathological.”

The victim's lawyer, Me Elena Campario, said his manipulation and cruelty had left an indelible mark on the child and her parents.

“He added manipulation to the crimes, attacking an easy and extremely young prey.”

Aftermath

All four defendants apologised to the victims before the trial concluded. The court imposed socio-judicial follow-up measures of up to 15 years, alongside the prison terms. The case highlighted how paedophile networks exploit encrypted platforms and the vulnerability of minors online.