ICE arrests PRPD police officer for production of child pornography
Officer on bail after domestic violence charges
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A suspended Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD) police officer, on bail since March 3 after being charged with domestic violence at the state level, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents Thursday for production of child pornography.
HSI special agents arrested Gabriel Rodriguez-Pacheco, 30, of Yauco, for allegedly persuading, enticing and coercing two female minors, 16 and 17 years of age, to engage in sexually explicit conduct, namely the lascivious exhibition of their genital areas, for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. Rodriguez-Pacheco was arrested by PRPD March 1 on domestic violence charges. He was granted bail March 3. HSI special agents arrested him for production of child pornography at his residence in Yauco on Thursday.
According to the criminal complaint, PRPD seized a computer from Rodriguez-Pacheco as part of the ongoing investigation into the domestic violence state charges. On March 4, PRPD turned over the seized electronic equipment to the HSI Computer Forensics Laboratory for a forensic analysis. The HSI Computer Forensics Laboratory provides computer forensics support to PRPD as well as to other local, state and federal agencies.
On March 9, a forensic examination of Rodriguez-Pacheco's computer revealed the presence of child pornography which appeared to be downloaded from the Internet and produced in Puerto Rico, in addition to two folders containing images and videos of him engaging in criminal sexual conduct with female minors.
"This case is particularly troubling because of the suspect's position as someone young people look up to and respect. Those who think they can engage in these kinds of activities and escape justice by hiding in cyberspace should be forewarned that HSI is using every tool at its disposal to protect our children from those who seek to sexually exploit them," said Angel M. Melendez, special agent in charge of HSI San Juan. "This case is proof of the outstanding collaborative efforts between HSI, the Puerto Rico Department of Justice and the PRPD, as members of the Puerto Rico Crimes Against Children Task Force (PRCACTF), to identify, investigate and apprehend those who abuse the most vulnerable segment of our society – our children."
Rodriguez-Pacheco will have his initial hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce McGiverin on Friday. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marshal D. Morgan is prosecuting the case.
HSI has identified two victims associated with this investigation and encourages the community to contact the agency at 787-729-6969, or its toll free number 1-800-981-3030, with information that may lead to the identification and rescue of additional victims.
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.
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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