Previously convicted south Texas sex offender pleads guilty to child pornography charges, failing to register as a sex offender

LAREDO, Texas — A previously convicted sex offender pleaded guilty Tuesday to possessing child pornography, and failing to register as a sex offender.

This guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney, Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas.

This investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with the assistance of the Laredo Child Exploitation Task Force. This Task Force consists of the following Texas-based law enforcement agencies: Webb County Sheriff’s Office, Laredo Police Department (LPD) Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS).

Gamaliel Cortez-Mendoza, 43, of Laredo, pleaded guilty May 26 to possessing child pornography and failing to register as a sex offender. Cortez-Mendoza was arrested in January following an investigation by the Laredo Child Exploitation Task Force.

According to court documents, Webb County Sheriff’s Office Cyber Crime Unit learned that an individual living at Cortez-Mendoza’s address had been downloading child pornography. The task force then executed search warrants on Cortez-Mendoza’s home and computers. Forensic analysis later revealed numerous videos and pictures depicting child pornography. Cortez-Mendoza admitted to downloading and viewing the videos.

Cortez-Mendoza had previously been convicted in 2004 of possessing child pornography in Harris County, Texas, and was also required to register as a sex offender.

Cortez-Mendoza faces a minimum of 10 years in prison for possessing child pornography, and another 10 years for failing to register.

Assistant U.S. Attorney, Alfredo De La Rosa, Southern District of Texas, is prosecuting this case.

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 10,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2014, more than 2,300 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.

HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.