ICE special agents arrest local man on child pornography charges

EL PASO, Texas – A local man remains in federal custody awaiting judicial proceedings on child pornography charges following his arrest by special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Andrew Hansen, 34, was arrested Jan. 20, after ICE HSI special agents executed two federal search warrants at his home in the 900 block of Mesa Hills Drive and another residence in the 1000 block of Mesa Hills Drive.

An initial forensic analysis of items seized by ICE HSI agents revealed numerous illicit images involving the sexual exploitation of children.

Special agents assigned to the ICE HSI El Paso Cyber Crimes Group arrested Hansen and charged him with receiving and possessing material involving the sexual exploitation of minors. His preliminary and detention hearing is set in U.S. Magistrate Judge David Guaderrama's court.

This investigation is part of Operation Predator, a nationwide ICE HSI initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas to engage in sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders, and child sex traffickers.

ICE HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE or 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 and Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.