A Miami man has been sentenced to 78 months in federal prison after investigators uncovered more than 5,000 images of child pornography stashed in two storage units under his control. Adolfo Zayas-Bazan Albaisa, 56, admitted to possessing the illicit material over a nearly decade-long span, hiding it behind locked doors in Miami and Doral until the units were auctioned off for unpaid rent.
Albaisa was sentenced on April 29, 2019, by U.S. District Judge Federico A. Moreno, who also imposed 20 years of supervised release following the prison term. The defendant pleaded guilty in February 2019 to one count of possession of child pornography, marking the end of a probe that began when auction buyers stumbled upon the disturbing content while inspecting their newly purchased storage units.
According to court records and statements made during sentencing, Albaisa maintained the storage units from 2007 to 2016. After he stopped making payments, both units were auctioned—first in 2013, then again in 2016. In each case, the new owners discovered explicit images of underage boys engaged in sexual acts. The FBI was called in, and forensic analysis matched Albaisa’s fingerprints to two of the incriminating photos.
Inside the units, investigators found disturbing evidence beyond the digital images. Albaisa had stored boy scout gear, children’s clothing, and photographs of teenagers at youth sporting events, including swimming meets and wrestling matches. He also kept personal items linking him directly to the space: architectural drawings, University of Miami library cards, family photos, his resume, and mail addressed to his home.
Once a Harvard-educated architect with teaching stints at the University of Miami and Florida International University, Albaisa’s fall from academia to federal conviction underscores the hidden lives some lead. He accumulated and preserved over 5,000 images of child sexual abuse, material he collected and safeguarded across years while living in South Florida’s academic and professional circles.
U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan praised the FBI and its Miami Child Exploitation Task Force for their relentless work on the case. She also acknowledged the Doral Police Department and the City of Miami Police Department for their support. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cary O. Aronovitz prosecuted the case. Court documents are available via the Southern District of Florida’s public portal at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or through PACER at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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