A Mexican citizen residing illegally in Palmview, Texas, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) involving a family member. Jesus Adrian Barraza-Vega, 35, was convicted of coercing the production of CSAM through various chat platforms. U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced the sentencing.
Barraza-Vega pleaded guilty on October 9, 2024. U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton ordered him to pay $3,000 in restitution to a known victim and fines totaling $60,000.
During the hearing, the minor victim attended with her family and provided a letter describing the harm caused by Barraza-Vega. It was revealed that his abuse continued until shortly before his arrest.
"Our sincere hope is that the children who Barraza-Vega victimized can now have some measure of peace," stated Ganjei. He emphasized that crimes against children in the Southern District of Texas would be prosecuted fully.
Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp from the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office remarked on the importance of protecting vulnerable children: "The FBI works day and night to ensure predators like this are brought to justice."
In July 2023, New York authorities discovered inappropriate images sent to an eight-year-old minor. The investigation revealed that the minor had sent explicit videos to an individual posing as a 13-year-old male via TextNow and WhatsApp.
Law enforcement traced IP address information back to locations where Barraza-Vega resided, including his current residence in Palmview. During questioning, he confirmed using TextNow and WhatsApp linked to these accounts.
In February 2024, a federal search warrant led to forensic extraction from Barraza-Vega's cellphone revealing CSAM involving a minor relative dating from November 11, 2020, to January 18, 2024.
The FBI conducted this investigation with support from Border Patrol and police departments in Mission and Palmview. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell is prosecuting under Project Safe Childhood (PSC), an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide.
For more information about PSC or internet safety education resources, visit DOJ’s PSC page online.