Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Sex Abuse Charges

Greenbelt, Maryland – Juan Carlos Puente, 47, of Clinton, Maryland, pled guilty to producing and possessing child sexual abuse material in federal court.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.

As detailed in the plea agreement, between approximately October 1, 2021, and April 22, 2022, Puente enticed a minor victim, who resided in the Dominican Republic, to engage in unlawful sexual activity and produce child pornography. Specifically, through Facebook messages, Puente enticed the minor victim to perform sexual acts on herself and to send videos of her engaging in the requested sexually explicit conduct in exchange for money.  The messages also show Puente sending money transfer ID numbers to the minor victim and saying he sent money to her on multiple occasions.

On January 9, 2024, the FBI executed a federal search warrant at Puente’s Clinton residence. Law enforcement seized electronic devices and other evidence from his residence pursuant to the search warrant. Forensic review of the devices uncovered visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

As part of his plea agreement, Puente must register as a sex offender in places where he resides, is an employee, and is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

Puente is facing a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a statutory maximum of 50 years in federal prison.  U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis scheduled sentencing for Monday, January 26, at 10 a.m.

This case is 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 Attorney’s 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 justice.gov/psc.  For more information about Internet safety education, visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation, and the Prince George's County Police Department for its valuable assistance.  Ms. Hayes thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan S. McKoy, and Trial Attorney Jessica L. Urban, Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, who are prosecuting the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #