Corpus Christi Man Convicted of Production of Child Pornography

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 31-year-old Corpus Christi man has pleaded guilty to production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson.

In February 2016, authorities learned that Jesus Villalobos had been communicating via cellular telephone text messages and a social media application with an 11-year-old female. During those communications, Villalobos enticed the victim into sending him sexually explicit photographs of herself. 

In April 2016, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the Villalobos residence and seized various electronic devices. A forensic analysis on those devices led to the discovery of several photographs of the child that were sexually explicit in nature.

Senior U.S. District Judge Hayden Head accepted the guilty plea today and set sentencing for Dec. 13, 2016. At that time, Villalobos faces a minimum of 15 and up to 30 years in federal prison and a possible $250,00 maximum fine. Upon completion of any prison term imposed, Villalobos also faces a maximum of life on supervised release during which time the court can impose a number of special conditions designed to protect children and prohibit the use of the Internet.

Villalobos was arrested on federal charges in July 2016 and has been in custody since that time where he will remain pending his sentencing hearing.

The charges are the result of an investigation conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department—Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

This case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hugo R. Martinez, 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 the United States Attorneys' 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 www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."