ICE arrests Arecibo man on child exploitation charges
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Following a referral from the Puerto Rico Police Department’s (PRPD) Sexual Crimes Division, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents arrested an Arecibo man for production of child pornography.
HSI special agents executed the arrest of Gabriel Maldonado-Hernandez, 19, of Parcelas Navas, Arecibo, without incident.
According to the criminal complaint, on or about Nov. 30, HSI received information from PRPD that a 19-year-old adult, later identified as Maldonado-Hernandez, used electronic communications, specifically Facebook, to contact a 13-year-old female minor for sexual purposes.
On Dec. 14, U.S. Magistrate Bruce McGiverin issued a federal search warrant based on the information provided by the minor’s mother during an interview with HSI special agents. According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, the results of the search warrant revealed that Maldonado engaged in criminal sexual conduct with the minor by inducing her into producing child pornography.
Maldonado-Hernandez had his initial hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Silvia Carreno-Coll Tuesday. He was transferred to the Guaynabo Metropolitan Detention Center awaiting the outcome of his case. The detention hearing was scheduled for Jan. 27 and the preliminary hearing for Feb. 2.
“Producing child pornography is a heinous crime that HSI will not tolerate regardless of the age of the perpetrator,” said Ricardo Mayoral, special agent in charge of HSI San Juan. “This man committed a very serious crime and will now have to live with the consequences. Child exploitation, in all its forms, will continue to be investigated by HSI very aggressively.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elba Gorbea is prosecuting the 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 12,000 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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