The items included a USB containing more than 1900 files representing the sexual exploitation and abuse of children, some as young as 6.
Nelson man Louis Fleming in the dock during sentencing in the Nelson District Court. Photo / Tracy Neal
Examination of the devices also showed Fleming received 11 objectionable images from a New Zealand-based victim and that he separately used an online platform to distribute several files with another offender.
Most of the material was classified as the most serious of its kind.
Fleming was sentenced in the Nelson District Court this week to three years and six months in prison on three tranches of offending, of which the DIA charges formed the lead offences.
The sentence included a two-year prison term on an unrelated charge of sexual connection with a young person aged 12 to 16.
This was despite a police warning in 2020 for his use of social media platforms to seek teenage girls, some underage, to engage in sexual activity with him.
He received a six-month prison term on a charge of cultivating cannabis.
All prison sentences were to be served concurrently.
Extent of offending ‘might never be known’
Fleming had earlier admitted two representative charges of possession of objectionable material and a charge of distributing objectionable imagery showing the sexual exploitation and abuse of children.
However, the full extent of his offending might never be known because of the sophisticated computer equipment he used to wipe any trace of his activity, the DIA said in its summary of facts.
Judge Jo Rielly said it was clear he had “endeavoured to ensure no footprint was left”.
She said in sentencing Fleming it was a “significant fall from grace” for a young man who had done well in education and in employment, and who had worked hard all his adult life.
Snapchat and TikTok used to connect with young people
The DIA charges for the distribution and possession of child sexual exploitation material related to offending between April and June 2025.
Fleming operated a Snapchat account, which he used to contact children and young people in New Zealand, from whom he was able to solicit self-generated material.
He also used the social media platform TikTok to connect with female children between 11 and 14 years of age, often in the Nelson area.
In April last year, Fleming used Snapchat to receive 11 photos of CSEM from a 15-year-old female in New Zealand.
In early May, he used the online persona “Louis Ffff” during online communication with a person to whom he sent an objectionable photo and video.
He accessed the material through a USB drive he set up that gave access to the dark net, and an encrypted folder on the USB, which enabled him to “stockpile” the child exploitation material.
The DIA’s Digital Child Exploitation Team found 1938 files on the USB, which was connected to the defendant’s laptop at the time of the search.
Drugs or cash on offer
Fleming engaged in sexualised chat messaging and would offer drugs or cash up to $1000 if they would meet up with him.
“The clear implication from the messaging is that the females would be receiving drugs or money in exchange for sexual activity,” the DIA said.
On June 9 last year, he used screen recording software to create four video files of communication he had with New Zealand children.
The DIA said analysis of Fleming’s devices showed the steps he had taken to remove traces of any offending that occurred on the dark net.
Tim Houston, manager of the Department of Internal Affairs Digital Child Exploitation Team. Photo/ Mark Mitchell
A DIA senior manager, Tim Houston, said people like Fleming, who exploited children online were committing devastating harm.
“Their actions are predatory, deliberate, and absolutely intolerable.
“This behaviour has no place in our society and we, with our partners, are committed to stopping them.”
Crown prosecutor Jackson Webber said Fleming’s offending involving sexual connection with a young person was “highly predatory”, involved someone half his age and had an element of grooming attached to it.
‘Made out’ with 15yo in car
Fleming’s contact with the 15-year-old began on social media. The summary of facts outlined that the teen told Fleming her age, and that he had initially told her he was 21 at the time.
In April last year, they arranged to meet up, drove to a Nelson beach, went for a walk and then “made out” before having sex in the back of the car.
Fleming then dropped the teen back home, after she told him she had school the next day.
The cannabis charge arose from the discovery of five small plants at Fleming’s Nelson address, during the DIA search last June.
Defence lawyer Tony Bamford said Fleming’s offending happened around the time he was dealing with the deaths of two close family members, and that he had pushed his grief to one side, rather than seek help.
He had since engaged heavily in rehabilitation measures, including attending 25 self-funded therapy sessions.
Judge Rielly said that showed he had a level of insight into his offending.
She repeated an often-heard phrase in courts around the country, that sadly, online offending involving the exploitation of children was “very prevalent” in society.
“It’s widely recognised this is not a victimless crime. A young person in society somewhere in the world has had to undergo sexual abuse for the video to be made,” Judge Rielly said.
From an adjusted starting point of six years in prison, factoring in uplifts, Fleming was then awarded a total 40% discount allowance for his guilty pleas, his personal circumstances and background factors which may have contributed to his wayward criminal offending, Judge Rielly said.
Fleming’s application for permanent name suppression was declined. He was also now a registered child sex offender.
Tracy Neal is a Nelson-based Open Justice reporter at NZME. She was previously RNZ’s regional reporter in Nelson-Marlborough and has covered general news, including court and local government for the Nelson Mail.