Former south Texas music teacher convicted of receiving child pornography

MCALLEN, Texas — A former south Texas teacher pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of receiving child pornography, announced by U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas. This guilty plea resulted from an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Jesus Javier Garza Jr., 30, of Mission, Texas, was arrested and charged Feb. 27, 2014 for receiving child pornography. During the hearing March 3, Garza admitted he was the mariachi director at La Joya High School.

According to court documents, Garza came to the attention of law enforcement following an investigation into persons using the Internet to traffic in child pornography. An HSI special agent was able to locate and identify Garza as the owner of a computer that was offering to participate in the distribution and receipt of child pornography movies through a peer-to-peer network.

Law enforcement executed a search warrant Feb. 27, 2014 at Garza's residence, at which time they seized a computer and various external storage media devices. The forensic examination revealed 189 movies and 302 images of young children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including children under age 12 engaged in bondage and acts of violence. Some of the images are of known victims as identified through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Garza admitted to downloading child pornography from the Internet, thereby receiving and possessing the child pornography found on his computer and external storage media.

Chief U.S. District Judge Ricardo Hinojosa, who accepted the guilty plea, has set sentencing for June 2, 2015. Garza faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine. He will remain in custody pending the sentencing hearing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Kimberly Leo and Kristen Rees, Southern 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 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.