A New Zealand man has been sentenced to five-and-a-half years behind bars for his role in facilitating a website that hosted tens of thousands of graphic, computer-generated child sexual abuse images.

Donald James Sarratt, 35, was found guilty of possessing objectionable material relating to children, and of knowingly making and/or copying objectionable material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors.

The investigation that led to Sarratt’s arrest was part of Operation Dark Orchid, which was launched in 2022 following a referral from the United States Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of Justice Child Exploitation Unit.

New Zealand Police said the website Sarratt helped facilitate contained over 85,000 images. Of those, 30,000 were described as “realistic images depicting the graphic sexual abuse and torture of children as young as infants.”

A forensic analysis of Sarratt’s electronic devices also uncovered child sexual abuse material involving real children.

Detective Sergeant Daniel Wright, who led the operation for New Zealand Police's Online Child Exploitation Across New Zealand (OCEANZ) team, said the case highlighted the country’s strong stance on child exploitation.

“In New Zealand, creating, possessing, or distributing material that promotes or tends to promote or support the sexual exploitation of children is punishable under the Films, Videos, Publications and Classifications Act,” Wright said.

“This investigation, involving our law enforcement colleagues from the U.S., demonstrates our commitment to keeping our communities safe, and that we will use all resources available to us to hold to account those who prey on the vulnerability of children both in New Zealand and abroad.”

Travis Pickard, Special Agent in Charge at Homeland Security Dallas, said the results of the investigation were deeply disturbing.

“The vast number of images uncovered in this case is unacceptable in any part of contemporary society,” he said. “Many featured disturbingly realistic computer-generated representations of unspeakable child sexual abuse.”

“This sentence for the defendant reinforces our dedication to protecting the innocence of our most vulnerable populations from such abhorrent child exploitation.”

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