West Texas man pleads guilty to possessing child pornography

LUBBOCK, Texas – A west Texas man pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of possessing child pornography. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine and a lifetime of supervised release.

This investigation is being conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Big Spring Police Department. This guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas.

Jacob Ray Albarado, 20, of Big Spring, Texas, has been in custody since his arrest in March 2013. U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings ordered a presentence investigation report with a sentencing date to be set after that report is completed.

According to court documents, after befriending a minor female (Jane Doe), Albarado communicated with her with his cell phone for more than one year. In late 2012, Jane Doe began a dating relationship with Albarado and ran away from her home to his apartment in Big Spring. Albarado and Jane Doe agreed to produce a video depicting the two of them engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Albarado then used Jane Doe’s cell phone to produce a video of her while she engaged in sexually explicit conduct with Albarado.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Sucsy, Northern District of Texas, is in charge of the prosecution.

The investigation was part of Operation Predator, a nationwide HSI initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders and child sex traffickers. HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-347-2423 or by completing 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 & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-843-5678.

HSI is a founding member of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.