Former San Juan Police Department commissioner sentenced to 10 years in prison for possession of child pornography

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The former commissioner of the San Juan Police Department was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by 15 of supervised release Monday for possession of child pornography. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), working jointly with Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force, conducted the investigation that led to the arrest, the guilty plea and subsequent sentencing of the former commissioner.

On Dec. 8, 2011, Hilton Cordero-Rosario, 52, was arrested by HSI special agents on production and possession of child pornography charges. According to the 21-count indictment, Cordero-Rosario had digital images and video files of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He pleaded guilty Feb. 1 to count 21 of the indictment, possession of child pornography, by signing a plea agreement that requires a 10 year prison sentence.

"People who download and possess child pornography put our youth at risk," said Angel M. Melendez, special agent in charge of HSI San Juan. "This case is particularly troubling because of the suspect's position as someone young people look up to and respect. Those who think they can engage in these kinds of activities and escape justice by hiding in cyberspace should be forewarned that HSI is using every tool at its disposal to protect our children from those who seek to sexually exploit them."

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 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.