Former Puerto Rico National Guard member to serve more than 16 years for child exploitation
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A former member of the Puerto Rico National Guard was sentenced Wednesday to more than 16 years in prison followed by a period of supervised release of 10 years for transporting a minor for sex. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with the assistance of the Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force (PRCACTF), conducted the investigation that led to the arrest, guilty plea and subsequent sentence.
On Dec. 2, 2014, HSI special agents arrested Edwin J. Santiago-Rivera, 26, a former member of the Puerto Rico National Guard, at his residence in the municipality of Villalba. The arrest spurred from information from the Puerto Rico Police Department’s (PRPD) Sex Crimes Division in Ponce regarding the transportation by Santiago-Rivera of a 14-year-old girl with the intent to engage in criminal sexual conduct.
According to court documents, Santiago-Rivera transported the minor to a motel and coerced her into having sex with him. The charging document also alleges that Santiago-Rivera took explicit photographs of his victim and a few days later forwarded them to another individual via an instant messaging application identified as kik. Santiago-Rivera pleaded guilty to the transportation charge Feb. 20, 2015. He was sentenced to 16 years and eight months in prison Wednesday.
“This lengthy sentence virtually assures that no more children will fall prey to this defendant,” said Angel M. Melendez, special agent in charge of HSI San Juan. “As this sentence makes clear, those who exploit children should be on notice, HSI, in collaboration with its local, state and federal partners, is using every tool at its disposal to identify predators and bring them to justice – whether they are around the block or around the world.”
In June 2011, in response to the need for an island-wide approach to fighting the escalation of predatory crimes against children, HSI San Juan formed the Puerto Rico Crimes against Children Task Force (PRCACTF).
Through PRCACTF, local, state and federal law enforcement agencies work together with local and state government agencies to effectively pool their resources and jointly investigate all crimes against children in Puerto Rico. Through the task force, law enforcement officers are able to share ideas, leads and evidence, as well as investigative and forensic tools to ensure the most successful prosecutions possible. As such, PRCACTF allows law enforcement to speak with one unified voice in defense of the children of Puerto Rico.
The investigation is part of 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 2013, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative.
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. 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.
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