ICE arrests pharmaceutical company employee for production of child pornography
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents and officers assigned to the Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force (PRCACTF) arrested an employee of a local pharmaceutical company Wednesday for production of child pornography.
Reinaldo Diaz-Camacho, 48, of Moca, was arrested at the Sheraton Four Points Hotel in Caguas. On May 6, the Puerto Rico Police Department made a referral to HSI regarding an adult male who was engaging in sexually explicit conversations with a 16-year-old male identified as John Doe via Facebook. During those conversations, Diaz-Camacho requested sexually explicit images from the minor.
HSI special agents interviewed John Doe's mother and obtained consent from her to search the minor's mobile telephone. Forensic examination of the minor's cell phone revealed the presence of sexually explicit images and text messages.
Diaz-Camacho was brought before U.S. Magistrate Bruce McGiverin for his initial appearance Thursday and was ordered temporarily detained in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Guaynabo, awaiting the outcome of his case.
"At HSI, we have always said that parents are the first line of defense in protecting our children from online predators," said Angel Melendez, special agent in charge of HSI San Juan. "If it had not been for the proactive approach of this mother, her minor son could still be a victim of this unscrupulous man. Child predators should take note that HSI will not rest until we identify you, arrest you and prosecute you."
If convicted, Diaz-Camacho could face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a possible maximum sentence of 30 years.
In response to the need for an island-wide approach to fighting 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 PRCACTF in June 2011.
PRCACTF enables local, state and federal law enforcement agencies to effectively pool their resources to jointly investigate all crimes against children in Puerto Rico. Law enforcement officers are encouraged to share evidence, ideas and investigative and forensic tools to ensure the most successful prosecutions possible. As such, the task force allows law enforcement to speak with one unified voice in defense of the children of Puerto Rico.
This investigation was part of Operation Predator, a nationwide HSI initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders and child sex traffickers. HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-347-2423 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, 1-800-843-5678.
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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