Texas Man Sentenced to 144 Months for ‘Pedo Lives Matter’ Child Porn Distribution

A Texas man has been sentenced to 144 months in prison for distributing child pornography, including participating in a chatroom called ‘Pedo Lives Matter,’ announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Oscar Barrios, 35, of Spring, Texas, pleaded guilty to the charges on November 30, 2023. U.S. District Judge Alfred Bennett handed down the sentence, noting that Barrios violated a position of trust as a father with minor children in the household.

Barrios was found to have distributed and received child pornography on multiple messaging applications, including Kik and Discord. He participated in chatrooms where members engaged in trading child pornography, including making statements proclaiming sexual interest in a minor female relative.

A search of Barrios’ electronic devices uncovered 66 videos and one image of child pornography. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, with assistance from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebekah Saunders and Christine Lu are prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Barrios will also be required to pay $20,500 in restitution to the victims and serve five years of supervised release following completion of his prison term.

During his supervised release, Barrios will be subject to numerous restrictions, including compliance with requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.

The PSC initiative marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit the DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.