Big Spring, Texas, Man Sentenced To 10 Years In Federal Prison For Possessing Child Pornography

Defendant Also Ordered to Pay $150,000 in Restitution to a Victim Whose Photographs Were Included in His Collection

ABILENE, Texas — Juan Jose Guerra, 51, was sentenced on Wednesday, by U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis, to the statutory maximum of 10 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography. In addition, Judge Solis ordered that Guerra pay $150,000 in restitution to a victim whose photographs were included in his child pornography collection. The announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.

Guerra has been in federal custody since December 6, 2011. He pleaded guilty in February 2013 to one count of possession of child pornography. According to documents filed in the case, Guerra owned a computer, which he kept at his residence in Big Spring, Texas, which contained numerous images of child pornography.

This case was brought as 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”

The case was investigated by the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Border Patrol, and the Midland and Big Spring Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Sucsy, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Lubbock, Texas, was in charge of the prosecution.