Southeast Texas "babysitter" admits to producing child pornography

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A southeast Texas woman who was supposed to care for a young child – but who instead recorded her sexual assault – pleaded guilty Wednesday to producing child pornography.

The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas. The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Aransas Pass (Texas) Police Department and Corpus Christi Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Rosa Linda Ganceres, 53, of Mathis, entered a guilty plea June 8 to sexual exploitation of a child, otherwise known as production child pornography.

The court heard that Ganceres and her boyfriend – Daniel Benson Billman, 42, of Aransas Pass, and a registered sex offender – placed an ad on Craigslist offering babysitting services. The victim’s mother answered the ad and Ganceres was supposed to care for the child. Instead, Billman sexually assaulted the two-year-old girl while Ganceres recorded the assault.

In August 2015, authorities executed a search warrant at Billman’s residence and seized a cell phone. Forensic examination led to the discovery of a video of the child involved in sexual explicit conduct that Ganceres recorded.

Billman has also pleaded guilty for his crimes. In March, Senior U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack sentenced him to 50 years in federal prison.

Ganceres is set for sentencing Sept. 22 before U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos. At that time, she faces a minimum of 15 and up to 30 years in federal prison, as well as a possible $250,000 fine. Upon completion of any prison term imposed, Ganceres also faces up to a lifetime of supervised release during which time the court can impose a number of special conditions designed to protect children and prohibit the use of the Internet.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Hugo R. Martinez, Southern District of Texas, is prosecuting the 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.