California man pleads guilty to receiving child pornography

FRESNO, Calif. – A California man pleaded guilty Tuesday to receiving images and videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations.

Aaron Gregory Guzman, 44, of Clovis, Calif., received more than 600 images and videos of sexually explicit conduct involving minors. The images and videos also involved the portrayal of sadistic, masochistic and other depictions of violence. Guzman received the child pornography on his computer, and many of the images showed prepubescent minors. Guzman is scheduled to be sentenced April 30. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and a lifetime of supervised release.

This case is the result of Operation Direct Connect, an extensive series of investigations by the Central Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force – specifically HSI and the Fresno County Sheriff's Office.

HSI's ongoing efforts to target suspects involved in child exploitation offenses are part of Operation Predator, a nationwide HSI initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders and child sex traffickers. HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri.