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Press Release

Four Arrested On Child Pornography Charges

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Puerto Rico

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – In four separate cases, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) special agents, working under the scope of the Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force, arrested Friday in San Juan, Puerto Rico four men charged with possession and distribution of child pornography.

HSI special agents arrested Ruben Alfonso Cautino-Latoni, 29, of Guaynabo, for possessing child pornography. According to the indictment, Cautino-Latoni possessed child pornography in the form of images and videos of prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

HSI special agents arrested another man charged with possession and distribution of child pornography. According to the indictment, Jorge A. Perez-Ninham, 27, of Arecibo, possessed child pornography in the form of images and videos of prepubescent minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

In an unrelated case, Christian Alexis Velazquez-Nieves, 20, of Guayanilla, was also arrested by HSI agents for possessing images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

HSI agents also arrested and Samuel Mendoza-Reyes, 49, of Carolina, for possession of child pornography in the form of images and videos minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Mendoza Reyes was a member of the Puerto Rico National Guard at the time of his arrest.

All men had their initial appearance hearings before U.S. Magistrate Judge Camille Velez-Rive and were transferred to the Guaynabo Metropolitan Detention Center.

“Child exploitation investigations continue to be one of HSI’s highest priorities,” said Iván J. Arvelo, special agent in charge of HSI San Juan. “No crime affects us more deeply than the exploitation of innocent children. We will continue working with our federal, state and local partners to identify arrest and prosecute those who in the cruelest manner steal the innocence of our children.”

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 16,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2016, more than 2,600 child predators were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 800 victims identified or rescued.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page. HSI is a founding member of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.

Updated January 11, 2019

Topic
Project Safe Childhood