Aguadilla Man Indicted and Arrested for Child Exploitation

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On September 23, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging José Antonio Soto-Ramos, 37, of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, with possession, receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse material, announced Héctor Ramírez-Carbó, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The arrest follows an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico.

According to the indictment, in July 2026, Soto-Ramos knowingly received and distributed child exploitation material. From March to July 2026, the defendant possessed images of child pornography in his cellular phone.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and prosecute persons who use technology to victimize children who are victims of child exploitation crimes,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Ramírez-Carbó. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and HSI encourage potential victims to come forward if you have knowledge that this defendant or any other adult has engaged in this type of criminal behavior. Tipsters may remain anonymous.”

“Child predators rarely present themselves as predators. They often disguise their identity as a trusted adult, another child, a female, or someone else to gain access, build trust, and exploit victims,” said HSI San Juan Acting Special Agent in Charge Yariel Ramos. “The arrest of José Soto Ramos, who was found in possession of a significant amount of child sexual abuse material, underscores HSI’s commitment to protecting children and identifying offenders. We encourage parents and guardians to maintain open, ongoing conversations with children, including the importance of pausing before responding to unknown contacts, avoiding private conversations with people they have not met in person, and seeking help from a trusted adult if an interaction feels uncomfortable. If you believe that someone you know may have been victimized by this individual, please contact HSI Communications Center immediately.” 

Rivera-Santos had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mariana Bauzá Almonte and was ordered to remain temporarily detained at the Guaynabo Metropolitan Detention Center pending further proceedings. If convicted for the charges the defendant faces the following penalties: (1) receipt of child exploitation material - a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; and (2) possession of child exploitation material - a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. All charges of conviction are to be followed by a term of supervised release after imprisonment of no less than 5 years up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Elba Gorbea of the Crimes Against Children, Human Trafficking and Immigration Unit, prosecuted the case. The Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force led by HSI was in charge of the investigation, with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Department. To report suspicious activities, call 787-729-6969.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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