Corpus Christi Man Sentenced In Child Pornography Case

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Jose Gutierrez III, 21, has been ordered to prison following his conviction of possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Gutierrez pleaded guilty Nov. 8, 2013. 

Today, Senior United States District Judge Janis Graham Jack considered the very low rate of successful treatment for individuals who are sexually attracted to children and subsequently handed him a total of 80 months in federal prison. He will also have to pay a $5,000 fine to a known victim of the child pornography series he possessed. In handing down the sentence, Judge Jack noted that Gutierrez has been interested in child pornography since he was 15 years old, accounting for most of his teenage and adult life. Gutierrez was further ordered to serve the rest of his life on supervised release following completion of his prison term and he will be ordered to register as a sex offender.

On Nov. 3, 2012, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) identified a user on the Internet that was making files of suspected child pornography available to other users. That person was ultimately identified as Gutierrez who lives in Corpus Christi.

Agents and officers executed a federal search warrant on his home, at which time he admitted to using the Internet to acquire images of child pornography. Gutierrez stated that his interest in child pornography had begun several years prior and that he had continued to engage in this behavior despite knowing it was illegal. Several computers and other electronic storage devices were seized from Gutierrez which were later found to contain numerous images of child pornography.

Previously released on bond, Gutierrezwas taken into custody following the sentencing today where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

HSI with the assistance and support of the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Lance Duke is prosecuting.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."