Puerto Rican man sentenced to 28 years in prison for production of child porn

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A Puerto Rico man was sentenced to 28 years in prison and 15 years of supervised release on Thursday for production of child pornography, following an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Pabón-Santiago was charged and convicted with four counts of production of child pornography. From approximately June 2009 to December 2009, in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, Pabón-Santiago employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed and coerced two female minors and two male minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Specifically, lascivious conduct, that is, still images using a mobile phone with camera capabilities and a memory card, which had been mailed, shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.

"ICE will continue to aggressively use its investigative authorities, in conjunction with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, to identify individuals who seek to exploit children in this manner," said Roberto Escobar Vargas, special agent in charge for ICE HSI in Puerto Rico. "Some predators mistakenly believe the anonymity of cyberspace and new technologies shield them; in fact, the use of computers and the Internet have given ICE new tools in our enforcement efforts to protect children."

A forensics examination of a memory card by ICE HSI special agents revealed approximately 63 still images and one video of child pornography. The photographs depict the minors naked exhibiting their genital areas and engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In the video the voice of Pabón-Santiago is heard giving instructions to a male minor who is exhibiting his genital areas and masturbating.

This investigation was part of Operation Predator, a nationwide ICE initiative to identify, investigate and arrest those who prey on children, including human traffickers, international sex tourists, Internet pornographers, and foreign-national predators whose crimes make them deportable. Launched in July 2003, ICE agents have arrested almost 12,000 individuals through Operation Predator.

ICE encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-347-2423. This hotline is 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.