LAREDO, Texas – A 42-year-old Mexican citizen with a B1/B2 visa has been sentenced to federal prison for attempting to enter the United States with child pornography.
Martin Alonso Diaz-Lopez, who pleaded guilty to transportation of child pornography on July 9, 2024, was handed a 180-month sentence by U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen.
The court held Diaz-Lopez accountable for 66,489 images and noted that he wasn’t just possessing these images but sharing them online and bringing them into the United States.
Diaz-Lopez was further ordered to pay $44,148 in restitution to the victims in the images he possessed and brought to the country. Not a U.S. citizen, Diaz-Lopez is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
He will also have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet and will be ordered to register as a sex offender. The court noted that many of the images and videos he possessed were of very young children and toddlers being raped.
The investigation began when authorities identified Diaz-Lopez’s email as one of many internet users in Tijuana, Mexico, sharing child pornography online. Diaz-Lopez had applied for a visa in 2023 and listed the same email address uncovered during the investigation.
Law enforcement then put an alert on his name. On March 22, 2024, Diaz-Lopez arrived at the Lincoln-Juarez Port of Entry in Laredo and applied for admission into the United States. Authorities referred him to secondary inspection because of the alert.
At that time, Diaz-Lopez consented to a search of his phones which revealed approximately 20 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). A forensic examination ultimately uncovered a total of 1,484 child pornography files – 883 videos and 264 pictures.
Diaz-Lopez admitted he began viewing CSAM in 2022 while living and working in Pennsylvania and continued after returning to his home in Mexico. He also acknowledged belonging to group chats on various social media platforms where he and others exchanged CSAM.
He further admitted he shared material in those chats to receive more in return. “The defendant not only chose to break our country’s immigration laws, but also decided to bring in thousands of images of children being sexually abused. Neither defendant, nor his sick proclivities, are welcome in America,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
“Diaz-Lopez earned each and every day of his 180-month sentence, and an equally severe punishment awaits him if he ever tries to return.”
“Today’s sentencing shows that anyone trying to exploit and harm children, no matter where they’re from, will face serious consequences. This case, involving a Mexican citizen who tried to enter the U.S. with child pornography, highlights our dedication to protecting our homeland and our neighborhoods.
HSI, along with our law enforcement partners, will keep working hard to bring those who exploit our children to justice and protect the most vulnerable among us,” said Laredo Acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge Mauro Lopez from Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI).
Related Federal Cases
- Mexican Citizen Diaz-Lopez Locked Away for 15 Years for Transporting Child Pornography · Texas
- Rodrigo Garcia-Fuentes, Receipt of Child Pornography, Texas 2017 · Texas
- Angel DeJesus Torres, Child Pornography Possession, Texas 2024 · Texas
- Grand Prairie Man Sentenced for Transporting Child Pornography · Texas
- Irving Man Sentenced to 18 Years for Transporting Child Pornography · Texas
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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