25 Year-Old Man Indicted and Arrested for Child Exploitation

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On September 23, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Faustino David Reyes-Rodríguez, 25, of Ponce, PR residing in Caguas, 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, from in or about December 2025 to May 2026, Reyes-Rodríguez knowingly received and distributed child exploitation material. Moreover, from July 2024 to May 2026, the defendant possessed images of child pornography including images of toddlers, and prepubescent minors in his cellular phone and tablet.

“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.”

“As we begin Fiscal Year 2027, this arrest stands as a stark warning to those who exploit children: HSI is relentless. Predators often use the anonymity of gaming platforms and messaging apps to pose as children, weaving webs of deception to prey on the innocent, ”said HSI San Juan Acting Special Agent in Charge Yariel Ramos. “Regardless of the technology they hide behind, our commitment to finding these offenders and protecting our most vulnerable remains unwavering. We will find you, and you will be held accountable.”

Rivera-Santos had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marcos E. López 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 Daynelle Álvarez-Lora 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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