West Texas man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography

LUBBOCK, Texas – A west Texas man was sentenced Friday to 10 years in federal prison and a 15-year term of supervised release, following his guilty plea in June to possessing child pornography.

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

Jacob Ray Albarado, 20, of Big Spring, Texas, has been in custody since his arrest in March on a federal indictment alleging he possessed and produced child pornography, and attempted to entice a child. According to documents filed in the case, after befriending a girl (Jane Doe), Albarado called her with his cell phone for more than a 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 held Jane Doe’s cell phone and produced a video of her while she engaged in sexually explicit conduct with Albarado.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Sucsy, Northern District of Texas, prosecuted this case.

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 and current chair 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.