NM man, arrested by ICE HSI, faces child pornography charges

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A Santa Clara, New Mexico, man made an initial appearance in federal court Thursday on charges of producing child pornography and coercion and enticement of a minor.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case with the assistance of the Grant County Sheriff’s Office.

Michael Rivera, 31, will remain in custody pending a preliminary and detention hearing scheduled for April 12.

According to a criminal complaint, a few days before March 23, 2021, Rivera allegedly engaged in sexual conduct with a victim who was 12 years old at the time. Rivera allegedly began to request naked images of the victim. On Jan. 19, investigators seized the victim’s cell phone and conducted a forensic examination. The examination allegedly revealed sexually explicit images and videos of the victim.

A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Rivera faces a minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison for producing child pornography and a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison for coercion and enticement.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa A. Ong is prosecuting the case.

HSI is a directorate of ICE and the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of over 10,400 employees consists of more than 7,100 special agents assigned to 220 cities throughout the United States, and 80 overseas locations in 53 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.