A resident of Pharr, Texas, has been charged with producing child pornography involving a 16-year-old minor, as revealed by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. The individual, 26-year-old Carlo Ivan Hurtado, is scheduled for a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Scott Hacker.
The criminal complaint filed on March 28 details that Hurtado arrived with a 16-year-old female at the Hidalgo Port of Entry attempting to leave the United States. The minor allegedly left home without her parent’s consent. During questioning, the minor disclosed that she and Hurtado stayed in a hotel room in McAllen and reported engaging in sexual activities with Hurtado, which was recorded using her Snapchat account.
A search of her phone allegedly uncovered sexually explicit images and videos of the two. Hurtado faces a potential sentence of up to 30 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 if found guilty.
The investigation was carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, assisted by Customs and Border Protection and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia will prosecute the case.
The case forms part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), an initiative by the Department of Justice aimed at addressing child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in 2006, the project consolidates resources at various government levels to combat child exploitation and abuse.