Palmview Man Convicted of Receiving Child Pornography Via the Internet

McALLEN, Texas – Palmview resident Eduardo Pena, 33, has entered a plea of guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson.  

Pena came to the attention of law enforcement following an investigation which began Nov. 15, 2015, into persons using the Internet to traffic in child pornography. A Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent was able to locate and identify Pena as the owner of a computer offering to participate in the receipt of child pornography movies through a peer-to-peer network. 

Law enforcement executed a search warrant Jan. 13, 2016, at Pena's Palmview residence, at which time they seized computers and an external storage media device. The forensic examination revealed 49 movies of clearly young children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. These movies included children under the age of 12 engaged in sadistic conduct, bondage and acts of violence. 

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

U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez, who accepted the guilty plea, has set sentencing for June 16, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. At that time, Pena 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.  

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

This case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Wang, 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."