McAllen Man Convicted of Downloading Hundreds of Child Pornography Videos and Images

McALLEN, Texas – A 27-year old resident of McAllen has entered a guilty plea to one count of receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson along with Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Jorge Trevino-Blanco came to the attention of law enforcement following an investigation which began on Oct. 16, 2015, into persons using the Internet to traffic in child pornography. A special agent with HSI was able to locate and identify a computer as offering to participate in the receipt of child pornography movies and images through the peer-to-peer network on the Internet. Through the investigation, it was determined that the computer was located in a residence in McAllen. 

On July 8, 2016, authorities executed a federal search warrant at that residence, during which time they seized two laptop computers and an external hard drive. A forensic examination on the devices revealed a total of 123 videos and 282 images of child pornography involving clearly young children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. These videos and images included children under the age of 12 engaged in sadistic conduct and acts of violence. Some of the videos and images are of known victims as identified through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Trevino-Blanco admitted he downloaded child pornography from the Internet, thereby receiving the child pornography found on his computers and external hard drive. He further admitted he had been doing so for approximately four years. 

U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez, who accepted the guilty plea today, has set sentencing for Dec. 8, 2016. At that time, Trevino-Blanco faces a minimum of five and up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine. He will remain in custody pending that hearing.

HSI conducted the investigation.

This case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex Benavides, 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."