Amarillo, Texas, man sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on child pornography conviction

AMARILLO, Texas — A Texas Panhandle man was sentenced Friday to 20 years in federal prison following his guilty plea in August 2015 to receiving child pornography.

This sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas. This case was investigated by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Amarillo Police Department.

Following the sentencing, U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson remanded Alexander Jimenez III, 28, of Amarillo, Texas, into custody.

According to documents filed in the case, HSI and the Amarillo Police Department began the investigation after APD received information that an individual, later identified as Jimenez, had uploaded images of child pornography.

In early February 2014, a search warrant was executed at Jimenez’s residence and a laptop computer, located in Jimenez’s bedroom, was seized.  A forensic analysis of that computer revealed that it contained 4,389 images and 291 videos of child pornography.

Jimenez admitted using the computer to receive, trade and view child pornography.  He admitted sharing more than 1,000 files of child pornography on the Internet.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Frausto, Northern District of Texas, prosecuted 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 14,000 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 2015, nearly 2,400 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.