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Keanu Deavan Wesley Ortiz, a 32-year-old from Vernon, Texas, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for distributing child pornography, his third conviction for the crime. In the fall of 2024, while under federal supervision following his release from prison for a previous child pornography conviction, Ortiz engaged in online communications with another sex offender, discussing his sexual interest in children and child pornography. He ultimately distributed disturbing video files depicting prepubescent females, including infant and toddler-aged children, being subjected to violent sexual abuse.
Ortiz pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on May 11, 2026. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Miller. This is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
The distributed videos were shared between September 2024 and April 2025, and affected interstate and foreign commerce. Ortiz’s actions demonstrate a clear pattern of behavior, with this being his third federal conviction for child pornography violations. The sentence reflects the severity of the crime and the need to protect children from exploitation and abuse.
The Project Safe Childhood initiative has been instrumental in locating, apprehending, and prosecuting individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identifying and rescuing victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit the Department of Justice website.
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