Arecibo Teacher Busted in Child Exploitation Case

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Jonathan Ortiz-Medina, a 36-year-old man from Arecibo, Puerto Rico, is facing serious federal charges after Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) arrested him Friday for crimes involving a minor. Ortiz-Medina is accused of violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252 (a)(2) – attempted receipt of child pornography – and Title 18, United States Code, Section 1470, transferring obscene material to a minor. The arrest is the result of a joint investigation involving HSI, the Puerto Rico Department of Education, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico.

According to the indictment, the alleged offenses occurred around May 17, 2020. Ortiz-Medina is alleged to have knowingly transferred obscene matter to someone under the age of sixteen. He’s also accused of attempting to receive images depicting a female minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct via messaging services. The specifics of the material and the victim’s identity remain sealed as the investigation continues.

“As a teacher, the defendant held a position of trust in our society – which he betrayed when he committed the alleged illegal conduct,” stated W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to aggressively investigate and prosecute persons who exploit minors for sexual purposes and use technology to further victimize these children.” The statement underscores the severity of the alleged crimes and the commitment to protecting vulnerable children.

Acting Special Agent in Charge Rebecca González-Ramos of HSI was blunt in her assessment: “Individuals in positions of trust need to understand that there is no place in our society to abuse that trust and taint the position of our teachers. Our schools have no place for predators, our children need to feel safe at school.” She vowed continued collaboration with local and federal agencies to identify, arrest, and prosecute those who abuse their positions of authority.

Eliezer Ramos Parés, Puerto Rico Department of Education Secretary, emphasized the department’s zero tolerance policy. “The Department of Education will not tolerate any criminal act that affects our school community where an atmosphere of harmony and learning must prevail,” he said, urging students and employees to report any suspicious activity. The department will fully cooperate with law enforcement in this and all investigations that threaten student safety.

Ortiz-Medina appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marcos López on Friday and was remanded to the Guaynabo Metropolitan Detention Center pending further proceedings. If convicted, he faces a minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison for attempting to receive child pornography, followed by a supervised release term of 5 years to life. The transfer of obscene material to a minor carries a potential sentence of up to 10 years imprisonment and a 3-year term of supervised release. The final sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge after considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other relevant factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenifer Y. Hernández-Vega, Chief of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit, is leading the prosecution. HSI, the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, continues to prioritize the protection of children from online sexual abuse.