Monterey Man Charged With Production Of Child Sexual Abuse Materials And Other Child Exploitation Offenses

SAN JOSE – A federal grand jury has indicted Samuel Rios on seven counts of child exploitation and child pornography offenses.  

Rios, 29, of Monterey, was initially charged by complaint on July 8, 2025, and was indicted yesterday on two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, three counts production of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography.  

According to the complaint and indictment, Rios allegedly used the social media platform Snapchat to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce two different minor victims (Victim-1 and Victim-3) in Monterey County to engage in sexually explicit activity from July 24, 2023, through March 5, 2024, and from May 9, 2024, through May 10, 2024.  

The indictment also alleges that Rios produced child sexual abuse materials with minor victims in the Northern District of California in 2023 and 2024, and further possessed and distributed child sexual abuse materials.  

In May 2024, on behalf of an anonymous client, a therapist reported the possible sexual assault of a child by a male alleged to be Rios.  

United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Brannigan made the announcement.

Rios has been in federal custody since July 16, 2025.  He is next scheduled to appear in federal court on July 28, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. for a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Virginia K. DeMarchi.      

An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  If convicted, Rios faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison for each count of coercion and enticement of a minor in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b); a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison for each count of production of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a); a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison for the count of distribution of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252(a)(2) and (b)(1); and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for the count of possession of child pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252(a)(4)(B) and (b)(2).  Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.  

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Johnny Ellis James Jr. is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Natachiana Burney.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by HSI, the Monterey Police Department, and the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office.  

Anyone who believes they are the victim of a crime perpetrated by Rios or has information relevant to this case can report it by contacting HSI at HSISanJose@dhs.gov or (877) 477-4847.