Chicopee man faces child exploitation charges

Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni (left) and Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble (right) discuss a child exploitation investigation during a press conference on April 23.
Reminder Publishing photo by Tyler Garnet

CHICOPEE — A Chicopee man was arraigned on multiple charges following a child exploitation investigation that multiple state agencies collaborated on.

Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni announced on April 22 that Edgar Delvalle, 47, of Chicopee, was arraigned in Springfield District Court on April 21 following his arrest as part of a multi-agency investigation into the attempted exploitation of children.

The investigation was initiated by the New Jersey State Police, whose undercover investigators identified Delvalle through online communications indicating an intent to exploit young children.

“This case began with the proactive and highly skilled work of our partners at the New Jersey State Police,” Gulluni said. “We are grateful for their commitment to protecting children across state lines. From there, our State Police Detective Unit took on the critical work of advancing this investigation, coordinating efforts, building the case, and ultimately bringing this operation to a safe and successful conclusion alongside our law enforcement partners.”

The investigation was conducted in coordination with the Massachusetts State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Hampden District Attorney’s Office, along with members of the Massachusetts State Police STOP Team, Cyber Crimes Unit, Crime Scene Services Section and local law enforcement partners in Chicopee and West Springfield.

The investigation began when undercover investigators identified an individual engaging in online communications indicating an intent to exploit children. Through a coordinated effort between the New Jersey State Police and the Massachusetts State Police, investigators monitored those communications and develop a plan to safely intervene.

On Friday, April 17, law enforcement executed a covert operation at a motel in West Springfield, where Delvalle had arranged what he believed would be a meeting involving children.

“He was taken into custody without incident, due to the planning and manpower organized by the Massachusetts State Police and local agencies,” Gulluni stated.

Massachusetts State Police Colonel Geoffrey Noble was also at the press conference to discuss the operation and successful arraignment of Delvalle.

“This law enforcement team used their training and skill to identify a dangerous suspect and execute a plan to safely arrest him and prevent further harm to the community,” Noble stated. “As our work continues as part of the national Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Program, we implore parents to know what their children are doing online. Together, we can protect innocent lives from the devastating impact of this horrible abuse.”

Delvalle is charged with two counts of trafficking of a person under 18 for sexual servitude, two counts of paying for sexual conduct with a child under 18, two counts of enticement of a child under 16, two counts of felony attempt to commit rape of a child and possession of a Class B substance with intent to distribute.

He is currently being held without the right to bail as a result of a violation of probation out of Superior Court. On the new charges, bail has been set at $250,000, without prejudice.

Delvalle is next scheduled to appear in court on May 20 for a pretrial hearing. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Gulluni noted that Delvalle has a prior criminal history involving offenses against children. The prior case dates back to 2018, when Delvalle was arrested after arranging to meet a woman for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts involving her young child.

As part of that investigation, law enforcement recovered child sexual abuse material from his phone, including images involving very young children, and evidence established that he was directly involved in the creation of some of that material.

In 2021, Delvalle pleaded guilty in Hampden Superior Court to multiple charges related to the sexual exploitation of minors and was sentenced to a term of seven to eight years in state prison, along with additional concurrent sentences on related offenses.

He received significant credit for time served while awaiting trial, which is why he was released from custody in January of 2025. Following his release, he was placed on probation with strict conditions, including GPS monitoring, a prohibition on contact with children and requirements to complete sex offender treatment.

Gulluni concluded with a message to the community when it comes to making sure people like this serve the time they deserve.

He stated, “It will be now the responsibility and objective of the prosecutors in my special victims unit to prosecute this individual pursuant to the law but do so as vigorously as possible.”