San Angelo Man Receives Maximum Sentence in Child Sexual Exploitation Case

A San Angelo man has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for producing sexually explicit images of children – the statutory maximum sentence for that crime, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.

Justin Del Rio, 29, pleaded guilty in July to production of child pornography. He was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix.

Agents initiated the case in November 2020 after a Kik user calling himself “justback92” posted photographs of an underage female that appeared to have been taken with a hidden camera.  An undercover agent messaged the user, who said that the photographs were of a 12-year-old relative.

Agents traced the username back to Mr. Del Rio and executed a search warrant at his residence. Inside, they seized a smartphone that contained 51 photographs and 12 videos of child pornography. The majority of the images and videos depicted a 12-year-old or a two-year-old. One of the images depicted the two-year-old girl performing sex acts on the defendant.

In plea papers, Mr. Del Rio admitted that he enticed or coerced both children to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction.

“HSI special agents are committed to putting away those who prey on the innocent,” said acting HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Christopher Miller. “Working alongside our law enforcement partners, we will do everything possible to protect the innocence of children by stopping predators responsible for this horrific abuse and helping to ensure they are brought to justice.”

Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, San Angelo Division investigated the case with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigation’s Detroit Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Juanita Fielden prosecuted the case with the help of Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Rancourt.