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January 22, 2020Fresno, CA, United StatesChild Exploitation

Stanislaus County man sentenced to over 16 years in prison for receiving child pornography

FRESNO, Calif. — David Jahve Nin, 40, of Salida, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to 16 years and eight months in prison for receiving child pornography, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced. Agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in San Francisco and Phoenix, Arizona actively worked the investigation contributing to the prosecution and sentencing of the case.

“The sentencing of this child predator is the culmination of collaborative efforts between our agents and local law enforcement agencies,” said Tatum King, special agent in charge, San Francisco, HSI. “These cases are never easy, however, there is some satisfaction in seeing justice served for the young victims of these horrible crimes and being an advocate for them, as we investigate the cases.”

According to court documents, from approximately October 2014 through approximately July 2017, in Stanislaus County, Nin was found to have received through the internet over 200 videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The videos also involved the portrayal of sadistic, masochistic, and other depictions of violence, and included depictions of minors as young as toddlers being sexually abused.

This case was the product of an investigation by both the Stockton, California and Phoenix, Arizona HSI offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian W. Enos prosecuted the case.

Nin’s crimes were originally uncovered as part of Project Mercury. Project Mercury is a multi-national child pornography and sexual exploitation of minors investigation. Currently, HSI is partnered with; the Toronto Police Service, Edmonton Police Service, United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (UKNCA), French National Police, Queensland Police Service-Task Force Argos, and the Australian Federal Police (AFP).

Project Mercury is targeting a network of individuals that are using a specific software application to meet in a virtual environment and share their desires concerning the sexual abuse of children.

“Multi-national projects, like Project Mercury, are rescuing child victims around the globe and helping agents investigate a vast network of illicit behavior where children are ruthlessly victimized, and images of these heinous crimes are placed in circulation for years to come,” said SAC King.

Targeting predators is a top priority for HSI. Nationally, in fiscal year (FY) 2019, HSI initiated 4,474 child exploitation cases resulting in 3,957 criminal arrests and identified or rescued 1,069 victims – an increase of more than 20 percent over FY 2018.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.

HSI works in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and other international, federal, state, and local agencies to help solve cases and rescue sexually exploited children. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to NCMEC via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST or https://report.cybertip.org/.

For Internet safety information for educators, parents, and children alike, please visit https://www.ice.gov/topics/iGuardians to learn about HSI’s iGuardians program.

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.

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