Albuquerque Sex Offender Randal Gordon Paul Faces Child Porn Charges

ALBUQUERQUE — Randal Gordon Paul, 47, of Albuquerque, is behind bars facing federal child pornography charges after investigators uncovered a digital trail of exploitation stretching back years. A U.S. Magistrate Judge found probable cause this morning to support a criminal complaint accusing Paul of possessing and distributing visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit activity. He has been detained pending trial, with no bond offered given his criminal history and the severity of the allegations.

Paul was arrested on December 2, 2016, following a years-long probe that began in November 2014. Authorities say an email address tied to Paul was used to register an account on a website known for hosting child sexual abuse material. The investigation, led by the FBI’s Albuquerque office and the New Mexico Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory, intensified over time, culminating in a search of Paul’s residence on November 16, 2016. Inside, agents allegedly recovered a computer containing at least 30 illicit images and one video depicting child pornography.

The case hits harder due to Paul’s status as a repeat offender. He is a registered sex offender with two prior convictions: one from 1996 for lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14, and another from 1998 for aggravated sexual abuse. That history now triggers enhanced penalties under federal law. Prosecutors are treating the case with maximum severity, reflecting the Justice Department’s zero-tolerance stance on repeat sexual predators exploiting children online.

If convicted on the possession charge, Paul faces a mandatory minimum of ten years and up to 20 years in federal prison. The distribution charge carries even steeper consequences—a mandatory minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 40 years behind bars. These sentences would be served consecutively, not concurrently, potentially locking Paul away for decades.

The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Holland S. Kastrin as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide DOJ initiative launched in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation. The program unites federal, state, and local agencies to target offenders who use digital platforms to victimize children. Its mission is not only to prosecute but to rescue victims and dismantle networks of abuse before they grow.

Charges in the criminal complaint are allegations; Paul is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. However, the evidence detailed in court filings paints a disturbing pattern of predatory behavior. As the case moves forward, federal authorities are reminding the public that even in the shadows of the internet, offenders like Randal Gordon Paul are being tracked, arrested, and held accountable.