Acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, Andrew Birge, has announced the sentencing of Jose Montoya, 62, to 292 months in prison for producing and collecting child pornography. Montoya will be deported to Mexico after serving his prison term. The announcement was made alongside Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Detroit field office.
Jared Murphey stated, "We will continue to investigate any allegations of child exploitation that endanger our communities. We will not tolerate illegal aliens who not only violate our immigration laws, but even more egregiously, also target children for exploitation. We will hold them fully accountable for all their crimes."
The case came to light when Google reported Montoya's online collection of child pornography. Michigan State Police and Homeland Security Investigations conducted a search of Montoya's home and devices, uncovering that he produced videos involving preschool-aged children under his wife’s in-home daycare. During sentencing, a mother of a three-year-old victim voiced her anger at Montoya’s betrayal of trust.
This incident falls under the framework of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide program aiming to safeguard children from online exploitation and abuse. The initiative is a collaborative effort involving the U.S. Attorney’s Office, various county prosecutor's offices, the Internet Crimes Against Children task force, and multiple law enforcement agencies. These entities work not only to prosecute offenders but also to educate communities about online child exploitation risks. More information on Project Safe Childhood can be obtained from www.projectsafechildhood.gov, and concerns regarding child exploitation should be addressed to local law enforcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Mekaru prosecuted the case, and the investigation was conducted by the Michigan State Police Internet Crimes Against Children task force and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.