FROM THE - CHRONICLES of Monte Friesner – Criminal & Intelligence Analyst and Consulaire for WANTED SA~
~Contributed by U.S. Department Of Homeland Security ~South Texas man sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for producing child pornography with his own young relatives
MCALLEN,
Texas — A South Texas man was sentenced Friday for producing child pornography by sexually exploiting his own young relatives.
This sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas. This investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Raul Casarez, 35, from Weslaco, Texas, was sentenced March 4 by Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa to 20 years in federal prison, which will be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. The court also ordered a total of $9,500 in restitution for all of the identified victims in this case. Additionally, Casarez will be ordered to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Casarez pleaded guilty to the charges Sept. 21, 2010.
According to court documents, at a previous hearing, the court heard testimony concerning the family relationship Casarez had to the victims that he sexually exploited to produce child pornography. Testimony established that Casarez sexually exploited four young relatives that considered him to be the "fun" relative. Furthermore, the court heard how the defendant had preyed on his younger relatives for several years dating back to the mid-1990s up until his arrest in 2009.
On Sept. 30, 2009, an HSI special agent began an Internet investigation to identify persons using peer-to peer file-sharing software to traffic in child pornography. The special agent soon discovered a specific computer as offering to distribute child pornography movies. Casarez was identified as the person linked to that computer.
HSI special agents executed a search warrant at Casarez’s residence and seized computers and various external storage media. Forensic examination of the seized items revealed more than 4,000 images and more than 400 movies of child pornography involving obviously young children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The images included children under the age of 12 involved in bondage and acts of violence. Some of the images are of known victims as identified through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Casarez admitted he downloaded child pornography from the Internet and that he possessed it on his computer. The forensic examination also revealed three photographs or visual depictions of a young pre-pubescent girl stored on the computer's hard drive. The photographs depicted her in a pose considered to be sexually explicit conduct.
The pictures were taken by a Samsung cell phone and uploaded to Casarez's computer.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Ann Leo, Juan Alanis, and Alex Benavides, Southern District of Texas, prosecuted the case.
This investigation was conducted under HSI's Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators.
Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 12,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2014, more than 2,300 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.
HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.
From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.
For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page. HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.
This sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas. This investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Raul Casarez, 35, from Weslaco, Texas, was sentenced March 4 by Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo H. Hinojosa to 20 years in federal prison, which will be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. The court also ordered a total of $9,500 in restitution for all of the identified victims in this case. Additionally, Casarez will be ordered to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Casarez pleaded guilty to the charges Sept. 21, 2010.
According to court documents, at a previous hearing, the court heard testimony concerning the family relationship Casarez had to the victims that he sexually exploited to produce child pornography. Testimony established that Casarez sexually exploited four young relatives that considered him to be the "fun" relative. Furthermore, the court heard how the defendant had preyed on his younger relatives for several years dating back to the mid-1990s up until his arrest in 2009.
On Sept. 30, 2009, an HSI special agent began an Internet investigation to identify persons using peer-to peer file-sharing software to traffic in child pornography. The special agent soon discovered a specific computer as offering to distribute child pornography movies. Casarez was identified as the person linked to that computer.
HSI special agents executed a search warrant at Casarez’s residence and seized computers and various external storage media. Forensic examination of the seized items revealed more than 4,000 images and more than 400 movies of child pornography involving obviously young children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The images included children under the age of 12 involved in bondage and acts of violence. Some of the images are of known victims as identified through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Casarez admitted he downloaded child pornography from the Internet and that he possessed it on his computer. The forensic examination also revealed three photographs or visual depictions of a young pre-pubescent girl stored on the computer's hard drive. The photographs depicted her in a pose considered to be sexually explicit conduct.
The pictures were taken by a Samsung cell phone and uploaded to Casarez's computer.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Ann Leo, Juan Alanis, and Alex Benavides, Southern District of Texas, prosecuted the case.
This investigation was conducted under HSI's Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators.
Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 12,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2014, more than 2,300 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.
HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.
From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.
For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page. HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.
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