Mexican national convicted in southeast Texas of possessing child pornography

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A Mexican man caught entering the U.S. illegally has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas.

This investigation was conducted by U.S. immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Duval County (Texas) Sherriff’s Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Border Patrol, and the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Jesus Hernandez-Ramos, 31, was apprehended in April 2014 by Border Patrol agents with a group of people who were being smuggled into the U.S. When questioned, Ramos admitted to being illegally present in the United States. At the time of his arrest, authorities seized a cellphone from Ramos. Forensic analysis of the device ultimately revealed more than 980 images and 35 videos of child pornography.  Many of these images depicted infants.

Senior U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack accepted Ramos’s guilty plea Jan. 4 and set sentencing for March 17. At that time, Ramos faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Upon completion of any prison term imposed, Ramos also faces a maximum of life on supervised release during which time the court can impose a number of special conditions designed to protect and prohibit the use of the Internet.

Ramos was arrested on the federal charges in November 2015 and has been in custody since his arrest.  He will remain pending his sentencing hearing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Hugo R. Martinez, Southern District of Texas, is prosecuting this 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 14,000 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 2015, nearly 2,400 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.