LOWELL — Federal agents discovered hundreds of video files allegedly depicting child pornography on a USB drive at a home in Lowell while executing a search warrant on Thursday morning.

Steven Armando Estrada Ramirez, 21, of Lowell, is accused of possessing the video files, some of which depicted children who appeared to be approximately 1 to 8 years old, according to Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy’s office.

Estrada now faces federal child pornography charges.

During an investigation, prosecutors said Estrada was identified as a participant in multiple groups on a mobile chat application in which the primary purpose is for users to share child sexual abuse material, often abbreviated as CSAM. Prosecutors allege multiple files located within those chat application groups depicted child pornography.

During a subsequent search of Estrada’s home on Thursday, prosecutors said the 21-year-old was found in possession of a USB drive containing approximately 800 video files, many of which had file names descriptive of child pornography, and the majority of which depicted child pornography.

Estrada was charged with receipt of child sexual abuse material, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison; and possession of child sexual abuse material, which includes a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

Both charges also include at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and fines of up to $250,000.

Estrada made an initial appearance in federal court in Boston on Thursday. His attorney, Joshua Robert Hanye, was not immediately available for comment.

Kate Pote, a spokesperson for Homeland Security Investigations’ New England Field Office, said agents with HSI’s Special Response Team executed the search warrant, which took place on Pawtucket Street at about 5:45 a.m. Thursday.

This case against Estrada was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, which Levy’s office stated is a nationwide initiative “to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.” The initiative was launched by the U.S. Department of Justice in May 2006.

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