Carlos Cortinas, Production of Child Pornography, Texas 2013

Defendants Sentenced for Horrific Crime

Carlos Cortinas, 40, and Mark Anthony Stokes, 36, of Three Rivers, Texas, have received significant sentences following their convictions of sexual exploitation of a child, commonly known as production of child pornography.

According to a grim investigation, Cortinas and Stokes pleaded guilty on Monday, October 21, 2013, to producing child pornography of their young relatives. The horrific crime came to light after a domestic violence call in Three Rivers on May 13, 2013, where Stokes’ wife discovered nude photos of a minor female relative on a flash drive.

Stokes, who had been stabbed and cut by his wife, admitted to a sexual interest in children for the past 20 years and revealed that he and Cortinas had discussed their mutual interest in children several years prior. Stokes sent nude images of the young female to Cortinas via text message, who then sent nude images of his minor female relative in return.

The investigation revealed that Cortinas and Stokes would send each other voyeur-type images of minor children taken without their knowledge, as well as other child pornography images downloaded from the Internet. State search warrants were executed on both residences, resulting in the discovery of evidence related to the child pornography production.

Senior U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey sentenced Cortinas to 212 months in federal prison and Stokes to 140 months, citing the need to protect the public and deter future criminal conduct. Both men will serve 10 years of supervised release following completion of their prison terms and will be ordered to register as sex offenders.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The FBI investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Lance Duke prosecuted it.

Cortinas and Stokes will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The grim reality of child pornography production is a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance and the need for continued efforts to protect children from exploitation.

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