ICE arrests man for receiving, possessing child pornography
Suspect allegedly downloaded images from a peer-to-peer network
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents, working jointly with Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force (PRCACTF) officers, arrested a man Thursday for receiving and possessing child pornography.
HSI special agents arrested Melvin Gomera-Rodriguez, 23, of San Juan, for allegedly downloading sexually explicit images depicting child pornography from a peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing network, a method of communication available to Internet users in which computers linked together form a decentralized network that allows for the sharing of digital files between users of the network.
The arrest of Gomera-Rodriguez stemmed from a referral from the Maine State Police Computer Crimes Unit which identified an Internet Protocol (IP) address, a numeric address given to a computer connected to the Internet, in Puerto Rico as a device from which child pornography had been downloaded. HSI special agents later linked the IP address to Gomera-Rodriguez’s computer.
“Trying to hide your presence in the Internet by using P2P networks will not prevent HSI from uncovering your criminal acts as this man can very well attest,” said Angel M. Melendez, special agent in charge of HSI San Juan. “HSI has the tools and our special agents have the expertise to identify you and arrest you despite your efforts to hide in the cyberspace.”
On March 5, HSI’s Child Exploitation Investigations Group special agents executed a federal search warrant at Gomera-Rodriguez’s home. The forensic analysis they performed on his seized computer equipment revealed the presence of images depicting child pornography.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elba Gorbea is prosecuting the case.
Gomera-Rodriguez had his initial hearing before U.S. Magistrate Camille Velez Rive Friday. He was transferred to the Guaynabo Metropolitan Detention Center awaiting the outcome of his case.
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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