Press Release
Two Local Men Head to the Pen for Possessing Child Pornography
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Two residents of Corpus Christi have been ordered to federal prison following their respective convictions of possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.
Rogelio Castaneda, 61, and Jose Ivan Davila, 54, pleaded guilty Jan. 23, 2018, in separate, but similar cases.
Today, Senior U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey sentenced Castaneda to 121 months in prison. Davila received a 70-month term of imprisonment. Both men were further ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release following completion of the prison terms, during which time they will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict access to children and the internet. They will also be ordered to register as sex offenders.
In imposing Castaneda’s sentencing, Judge Rainey noted that it was “disturbing” that he was a repeat offender.
The investigation into Castaneda began after authorities discovered he had uploaded images of child pornography to his email accounts. Law enforcement learned Castaneda had a prior conviction related to child pornography and, as such, is required to register as a sex offender. However, he had failed to do so and was taken into custody in February 2017. Law enforcement seized several digital devices at the time of his arrest which led to the discovery of approximately 2,500 images and 700 videos of child pornography. At the time of his arrest, Castaneda admitted to having an interest in adolescent girls.
In Davila’s case, authorities were investing a file sharing program in February 2017, during which they identified a computer as a potential source of at least 41 files of known images of child pornography. That computer was later linked to Davila.
The next month, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence, at which time they seized various electronic devices. Forensic analysis on those devices revealed more than 296 images and approximately 260 videos child pornography. Two of those videos included images of young girls, approximately nine and 11 years of age, performing oral sex on an adult male.
Both men have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted both investigations with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department - Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hugo R. Martinez prosecuted the cases, which were 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."
Updated May 15, 2018
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Project Safe Childhood
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