ICE arrests 2 men on child exploitation charges
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Two men were arrested Wednesday on child exploitation charges in the municipalities of Ponce and Guayama. The investigation that led to the arrests was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force (PRCACTF).
HSI special agents arrested Wally Irizarry Sisco, 60, of Ponce, for transporting an 11-year-old minor to a local motel in Juana Diaz for sex. In a similar, but separate, case, José E. Montalvo-Febus, 30, of Guayama, was arrested for illegally transporting a 13-year-old, now 17, to a secluded area and to local motels to engage in criminal sexual activity.
“With these two arrests, the number child exploitation-related arrests for 2015 have increased to 47, which represents a 33 percent increase compared to fiscal year 2014,” said Angel M. Melendez, special agent in charge of HSI San Juan. “This is simply alarming considering the fact that there are four months left in the current fiscal year and we have already surpassed the number of arrests for the entire year 2014. This should also send a clear message to those who victimize our innocent children for selfish gratification that we will not rest until they are brought to justice.”
The two men had their initial hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce McGiverin Wednesday. They were transferred to the Guaynabo Metropolitan Detention Center awaiting the outcome of their cases. If found guilty, they face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment with a statutory maximum of up to life in prison.
In response to the need for an island-wide approach in the fight against the escalation of predatory crimes against children, HSI San Juan partnered with members of local, state and federal law enforcement, as well as local and state government officials and community leaders, to form the PRCACTF in June 2011.
Through PRCACTF, local, state and federal law enforcement agencies work together with local and state government agencies to effectively pool their resources to jointly investigate all crimes against children in Puerto Rico. Through the task force, law enforcement officers are encouraged to share evidence, ideas, and 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.
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.
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