Mexican National Sentenced to More Than 22 Years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation Offenses

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Boston, and East Hartford Police Chief Scott M. Sansom announced that JOSE ANTONIO QUIROZ-MARTINEZ, 27, a citizen of Mexico last residing in East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 270 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in April and May 2017, Quiroz-Martinez used a cell phone to send sexually explicit texts and pictures of himself to an 11-year-old girl, and enticed the minor victim to send him sexually explicit pictures of herself.  Quiroz-Martinez also attempted to meet the minor victim to engage in sexual activity.

Analysis of Quiroz-Martinez’s cell phone also revealed more than 4,000 images of child pornography, including numerous images of toddlers or infants, images depicting sadistic or masochistic conduct and/or violence, and images of bestiality.

In sentencing Quiroz-Martinez, Judge Thompson also considered evidence that Quiroz-Martinez sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl and a 17-year-old girl in 2015.

Quiroz-Martinez has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on May 4, 2017.  On January 4, 2019, he pleaded guilty to using an interstate facility to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity.

Quiroz-Martinez faces immigration proceedings when he is released from prison.

This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the East Hartford Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy V. Gifford.