A 39-year-old man from Mexico has been indicted in Texas for transporting and possessing child pornography. U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced the charges against Raul Velasco-Leon, who is already in custody following a criminal complaint. Velasco-Leon is expected to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher dos Santos soon.
According to the charges, Velasco-Leon was encountered by authorities on March 12 at the Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge while returning to Mexico. A search of his belongings allegedly revealed a piece of youth-sized clothing with "Girl Power" printed on it, found tucked inside a jean pocket. Law enforcement reportedly found multiple electronic devices, including 10 USB flash drives. One of these drives allegedly contained five files with child sexual abuse material.
If found guilty, Velasco-Leon could face a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison and up to a $250,000 fine. The investigation is led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine A. Cortez is assigned to prosecute the case.
The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. This initiative involves federal, state, and local resources to locate and prosecute offenders and rescue victims. Additional information about the project and internet safety education can be found on the DOJ's Project Safe Childhood page.
It is emphasized that an indictment is merely an accusation and not evidence, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.