27-year-old jailed for distributing child sexual exploitation material
24 October 2025
A 27-year-old man has been sentenced to three years and 11 months imprisonment after appearing at the Auckland District Court on 23 October 2025. George Stanley Fuimaono pled guilty in August 2025 to seven representative charges for distributing and possessing over 2000 objectionable images depicting the sexual exploitation and abuse of babies and children.
In October 2022, Fuimaono began communicating with a Covert Online Investigator (COI) from an overseas law enforcement agency and shared a link to an online cloud storage location which contained 287 files of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The international law enforcement agency referred the case to the Departments Digital Child Exploitation Team once it identified that Fuimaono was based in Aotearoa New Zealand.
A search warrant was executed at Fuimaono’s home where investigators located and seized multiple devices. Forensic analysis of the devices identified a total of 1,666 unique objectionable publications depicting the sexual exploitation and harm of real children, bestiality, and computer-generated files promoting the sexual harm of children. The victims depicted were aged between one to 14-years-old.
Following his failure to appear at his first appearance for six charges relating to the first search warrant, a Warrant to Arrest was issued by the Courts and New Zealand Police arrested Fuimaono at his residential address on 22 March 2024. A mobile phone in his possession at the time of the arrest was subject to a second search warrant. Despite Fuimaono attempting to hide further offending forensic analysis of this device found an additional 428 unique objectionable publications deemed to promote and support the sexual abuse and exploitation of children under the age of 16.
Tim Houston, Manager Digital Child Exploitation Team said:
"This sentence sends a clear message to offenders – if you engage in these abhorrent activities, you will be found and face the full force of the law.
“This case is a good example of how agencies across the globe work together to apprehend these types of offenders and keep our communities safe.”
The devices used by Fuimaono to store and access child sexual exploitation material will be destroyed, by order of the Judge and is required to register as a child sex offender.
In 2024, the Digital Child Exploitation team conducted 69 investigations into child exploitation and helped to safeguard 14 New Zealand children from harm. Additionally, the Digital Child Exploitation Filtering System blocked over one million attempts to access websites hosting child sexual abuse material.
Support and Resources
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to engage with their tamariki about safe online practices. Advice and support for parents and caregivers on protecting their children online is available at KeepItRealOnline.govt.nz.
If you have concerns about potential online harm or wish to report a crime, contact the Digital Child Exploitation Team at DIA. For situations where abuse is occurring or a child is in immediate danger, contact the Police at 111.
- Victims of child or sexual abuse crimes can access help and support services by contacting: https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/child-abuse-directory-information-and-support
- Safe to Talk: 0800 044 334 Text 4334
If you are concerned about your own or someone else’s sexual behaviour, please reach out for support:
- Safe Network: 09 377 9898
- WellStop: 04 566 4745
- STOP: 03 353 0257
- Stand Strong, Walk Tall
Notes for media:
DIA uses the term child sexual abuse imagery (PDF, 625KB). The term child pornography downplays the harm of child sexual abuse.
For more information on the role of the Digital Child Exploitation Team, what is online child sexual exploitation and how to report it visit https://www.dia.govt.nz/Preventing-Online-Child-Sexual-Exploitation
