Houston Man Sentenced for Receipt and Possession of Child Pornography

HOUSTON – A 37-year-old Houston man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of receipt and possession of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez. Jose Pico pleaded guilty July 26, 2017.

Today, U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon handed Pico 121 and120 months for the receipt and possession convictions, respectively. Pico will also serve 15 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 revealed Pico was uploading and storing child pornography into a virtual storage account. Law enforcement conducted a search at Pico’s residence, at which time they seized a cell phone and gaming device that were forfeited as part of the sentence imposed today. Examination of his virtual storage account also revealed images of prepubescent minors who were under the age of 12. The virtual storage account contained 291 images and 446 videos of child pornography.    

Pico was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The FBI conducted the investigation. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri Zack prosecuted the case, which 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."