Former Teacher Convicted Of Receiving Child Pornography Via The Internet

McALLEN, Texas – Mission resident Jesus Javier Garza Jr., 30, has entered a plea of guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. During the hearing today, Garza admitted he was mariachi director at a La Joya High School.

Garza came to the attention of law enforcement following an investigation which began Jan. 8, 2014, into persons using the Internet to traffic in child pornography. A Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent was able to locate and identify Garza as the owner of a computer as offering to participate in the distribution and receipt of child pornography movies through a peer-to-peer network.

Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Feb. 27, 2014, at Garza's Mission residence, at which time they seized a computer and various external storage media devices. The forensic examination revealed 189 movies and 302 images of clearly young children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. These movies and images included children under the age of 12 engaged in bondage and acts of violence. Some of the images are of known victims as identified through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Garza admitted he downloaded child pornography from the Internet, thereby receiving and possessing the child pornography found on his computer and external storage media.

Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa, who accepted the guilty plea, has set sentencing for June 2, 2015. At that time, Garza faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine. He will remain in custody pending that hearing.

The charges are the result of an investigation conducted by HSI.

This case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys (AUSA) Kimberly Leo and Kristen Rees and former AUSA Juan Villescas, 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."