Pharr man pleads guilty to receipt of child pornography

McALLEN, Texas – A 36-year-old Pharr resident has admitted he received videos and images containing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Hugo Benjamin Tijerina admitted he had downloaded and received the child pornography videos on his laptop.  

On July 15, 2019, authorities identified an IP address associated with a home in Pharr that was using peer-to-peer software to download files depicting child pornography. The investigation led to Tijerina.

A search of the home revealed a laptop. Law enforcement discovered the device contained software used to download the child pornography as well as search terms used to find and download videos containing child pornography. 

The files contained images of children under the age of 12.

U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo accepted the plea and set sentencing for June 21. At that time, Tijerina faces up to 20 years in federal prison as well as A $250,000 fine.

He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliza Carmen Rodriguez is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources link on that page.