McAllen Man Convicted of Receiving Child Pornography Videos

McALLEN, Texas – A 26-year old resident of McAllen has entered a guilty plea to one count of receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson.

Daniel Ramirez-Tobias came to the attention of law enforcement following an investigation which began on Aug. 1, 2016, 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 videos through the peer-to-peer network on the Internet. Through the investigation, it was determined that the computer was located at a residence in McAllen. 

On Oct. 6, 2016, authorities executed a federal search warrant at that residence, during which time they seized a desktop computer. A forensic examination on the computer revealed video files of child pornography involving clearly young children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. These videos include children under the age of 12 involved in sadistic conduct such as bondage, bestiality and other depictions of violence. Some of the videos are of known victims as identified through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Ramirez-Tobias admitted he downloaded and viewed child pornography from the Internet, thereby receiving the child pornography found on his computer. He further admitted to downloading and subsequently deleting approximately 100 videos of child pornography. 

U.S. District Judge Randy Crane, who accepted the guilty plea today, has set sentencing for Feb. 9, 2017. At that time, Ramirez-Tobias faces a minimum of five and up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine. He was permitted to remain on bond 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."