U.S. Department
of Justice
Press Release
Former HISD Elementary Teacher Heads to Prison for 20 Years on Child Pornography Convictions
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas
HOUSTON – A 53-year-old Houston resident has been ordered to federal prison following his convictions of distribution and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson.
Juan Antonio Villarreal pleaded guilty Feb. 19, 2013. At the time, he acknoweldged he had been a third grade teacher at a Houston elementary school.
Today, U.S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore handed Villarreal a sentence of 120 and 240 months for the possession and distribution convictions, respectively. The terms sentences will run concurrently for a total 20-year federal prison term. At the hearing, the court heard evidence demonstrating how Villarreal also tricked an underage female relative into taking nude photographs of herself and sending to him, which he then circulated over the Internet. In handing down the sentence, Judge Gilmore remarked how the photos can never be removed from the Internet. Villarreal will also serve 10 years of supervised release following completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
The investigation began after a local law enforcement officer downloaded child pornography over the Internet which they traced to a computer Villarreal used.
On Aug. 31, 2012, federal authorities later executed a federal search warrant at Villarreal's residence in Houston. At that time, they discovered several images and videos of child pornography on a thumb drive inserted into a USB port on a Dell Desktop computer located within the residence. One of the videos included a known minor child victim performing oral sex on an adult male.
They also found child pornography on a Dell desktop computer and five additional thumb drives in the residence. A forensic exam on the devices resulted in the discovery of approximately 1425 images and 277 videos of child pornography.
Villarreal had also admitted he had received, viewed and downloaded child pornography for approximately five years.
He has been in custody since his arrest Aug. 31, 2012, where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Stabe prosecuted the case which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Updated September 3, 2021
Topic
Project Safe Childhood
Component