ALBUQUERQUE – Alfonso Navarrete, 43, of Albuquerque, N.M., has confessed to a litany of sickening crimes against children, pleading guilty yesterday in federal court to charges of child sexual abuse and possession of child pornography. The case, a chilling example of international predation and digital depravity, has finally reached a turning point after years of investigation.
The FBI first took interest in Navarrete in May 2017, spurred by allegations he sexually assaulted a minor while residing in Ireland between 2014 and 2015. A criminal complaint was filed on June 16, 2017, and Navarrete was arrested on June 22, 2017, after a search of his Bernalillo County home revealed a trove of illegal content. Agents and detectives from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) discovered a computer and thumb drive brimming with child pornography.
Yesterday’s change of plea hearing laid bare the full extent of Navarrete’s depravity. He admitted to engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a 12-year-old victim in Ireland in June 2015. But the abuse didn’t stop there. Navarrete also confessed to using a cellular phone to create child pornography featuring a 14-year-old victim in May 2013, then transporting those images from Ohio to New Mexico before his arrest. The thumb drive seized by investigators contained a staggering 730 images and seven videos of child pornography.
Navarrete now faces a grim reckoning. He could receive a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for the sexual conduct in Ireland. The production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum of 15 years, with a potential maximum of 30 years. Possessing the illicit images could add another 20 years to his sentence. Beyond prison time, Navarrete will be subject to a lifetime of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.
This case was a collaborative effort, spearheaded by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the BCSO, with crucial support from the New Mexico Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Mease is prosecuting the case under the umbrella of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative dedicated to combating child sexual exploitation. The DOJ launched Project Safe Childhood in 2006 to better coordinate federal, state, and local resources in the fight against these heinous crimes.
The investigation also benefited from the work of the New Mexico ICAC Task Force, a coalition of 86 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Anyone with information regarding suspected child predators or abuse is urged to contact their local authorities immediately. Navarrete remains in custody while awaiting a sentencing hearing, the date of which has not yet been set. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments.
Related Federal Cases
- Cop Killer Jesse Hanes Admits to Federal Crimes · New Mexico
- Las Cruces Predator Salcido Admits to Trafficking Minor · New Mexico
- Ohio Man Gets 20 Years for Sickening Crimes Against Children · Ohio
- Loves Park Predator: Rodriguez Admits to Exploiting Minors · Connecticut
- 72-Year-Old Trafficker Rojas Admits to Heroin Run · New Mexico
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Sex CrimesSex CrimesSex CrimesSex Crimes