Pecos Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography

ALPINE – Today, Miguel Angel Ortega, 39, of Pecos pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.

According to court documents, on January 4, 2022, a search warrant was executed on Ortega’s cellular phone.  Approximately 54 videos containing child pornography of prepubescent children were located.

A sentencing date has not been set.  Ortega faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.  Ortega has remained in federal custody since his arrest on January 5, 2022.

U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Frank Burrola, El Paso Division, made the announcement.

HSI, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Pecos Police Department are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance Kennedy is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

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