Former Misiones lawmaker sentenced to 14 years in child sex abuse case

A court in Misiones Province has sentenced former provincial deputy Germán Kiczka to 14 years in prison for crimes relating to the possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

The former Partido Activar lawmaker's brother, Sebastián, was handed a 12-year sentence on related charges, including the sexual abuse of a 15-year-old girl.

The verdict – delivered late Wednesday by Criminal Court No. 1 of Posadas after three hours of deliberation – follows a months-long investigation into the brothers, who were arrested last year after a US-led probe identified them as part of an international network suspected of circulating explicit material involving minors.

Judges Gustavo Bernie, Viviana Cukla and César Yaya found the Kiczka brothers guilty of possession and facilitation of CSAM, aggravated by the fact that some victims were under 13 years of age.

Sebastián was also convicted of sexual abuse of a minor, stemming from an incident in a gym bathroom in Apóstoles, their home city.

Prosecutors allege the 47-year-old told a 15-year-old girl “he was going to have to get her off," before he “pushed the victim against a sink in a gym and touched her private parts.”

After sentencing, both men were led away in handcuffs and immediately transferred to Misiones’ Penal Unit No. 1.

The court also ordered that the brothers’ father, Leonardo Kiczka, and Activar national deputy Pedro Puerta be investigated for perjury for their testimony to the court.

Germán, 44, was ejected from the provincial legislature after his arrest in August 2024, after almost six days as a fugitive from justice.

The removal of his privileges allowed him to be arrested and sent to trial.
 

Disturbing evidence

During the trial, the prosecution presented disturbing evidence, including over 600 files recovered from the brothers’ devices. Among them were images and videos involving children, including infants, in acts of sexual abuse, bestiality and rape.

Prosecutor Martín Rau described the case as “historic,” not only for its scale but also for the level of harm involved.

“We presented extremely graphic videos that, on a personal level, were deeply damaging to me,” said Rau in his closing remarks.

“We’re talking about children, girls and boys, some of them very young — even babies — in situations of sexual abuse. More accurately, this is sexual exploitation," Rau added.

“This isn’t just about abuse — it’s about the exploitation of children and teenagers, including some in zoophilic acts, practically cases of outright bestiality,” he insisted.

“There’s one photo that, I swear, made me vomit,” said fellow prosecutor Alejandro Glinka , referring to images found on a CD. “Do people understand how serious this is?”

The brothers denied the charges. Germán Kiczka claimed he was being targeted due to his role as an opposition figure in Misiones, describing the case as “a coordinated campaign” against him.

He did not speak during sentencing but has previously denied any knowledge of the material, which was found on a laptop traced to his home.

Sebastián Kiczka admitted to downloading explicit content but claimed he did not know it was illegal. He told the court he had used his brother’s computer to work on “cyberpunk-style” digital projects and insisted the material had been for artistic purposes.

In a closing statement before sentencing, he apologised to his brother “for getting him involved” and maintained that he suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder with “paedophilic tendencies.”

His defence team had asked the court to consider psychiatric treatment in lieu of a custodial sentence, citing psychological assessments, but the request was rejected.

International investigation

The prosecution was supported by findings from a US-led international investigation that began in early 2024. Authorities flagged users across 15 countries suspected of exchanging CSAM, leading to raids across Argentina, including at the Kiczka family home in Misiones.

Prosecutor Daniela Dupuy, who specialises in cybercrime and online sexual exploitation, said in an interview with Misiones' Canal 12 TV channel that international alerts had linked the brothers to a network of users who were “not just consumers but also facilitators and potential producers” of child sexual abuse material.

Among the most damning evidence was an Acer laptop seized during the investigation. Prosecutors said the device contained folders named after Germán Kiczka and personal documents linked to Sebastián, as well as CSAM material.

A separate USB stick found in Sebastián’s possession held additional files. Prosecutors alleged both men used the same devices and acted jointly in acquiring and distributing the videos and images.

Speaking to the press outside court, Leonardo Kiczka denounced the trial as politically motivated and claimed his sons were innocent.

“My son voted against [the use of agricultural chemical] glyphosate because he knew the damage it would cause in Misiones. The other political leaders don’t care about the environment,” he said.

On the issue of child abuse material, the father said: “There’s nothing. It’s all lies.”

He insisted: “Germán got himself convicted the moment he took his seat in the provincial legislature — he’s the only one standing up to the local feudal lord.”

As for Sebastián, Leonardo argued that if convicted, “he should be treated by a professional” because he has a history of drug and alcohol abuse.

Despite those assertions, prosecutors maintained the case was built solely on forensic evidence and eyewitness testimony. This is not about ideology or party lines,” Glinka said. “It’s about accountability for unspeakable crimes.”

The court will issue the full reasoning behind its ruling within 10 working days. Both defendants are expected to appeal.

– TIMES/NA/PERFIL