CBP Officer Alfredo Maysonet-Galarza Indicted for Child Pornography

Alfredo Maysonet-Galarza, a sworn U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer, stands indicted on four federal counts of child pornography after a damning grand jury indictment returned in Puerto Rico on February 1, 2018. The charges include advertising, receiving, distributing, and possessing graphic material depicting prepubescent minors in sexually explicit conduct, according to U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez.

Maysonet-Galarza allegedly used a widely known peer-to-peer file-sharing network in 2015 to actively advertise and trade illegal videos and images of young children. Investigators say he downloaded multiple videos showing female minors under the age of 12 engaging in sexual acts with adult males. The indictment also states he knowingly possessed over 1,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse material, all transported via interstate and foreign commerce—including through digital networks.

The federal probe, led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) and the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General, uncovered digital evidence linking Maysonet-Galarza to the possession and distribution of the illicit content. A Forfeiture Allegation accompanying the indictment demands the seizure of all devices and materials used or intended for use in the crimes.

“The defendant’s conduct in this case is particularly troubling due to his role as a federal law enforcement officer,” stated U.S. Attorney Rodríguez-Vélez. “Individuals who advertise, receive, possess, or distribute child pornography work hard to evade law enforcement and disguise what they are doing. For every tactic taken to evade law enforcement, we will adapt our strategies to find them and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.”

Orlando Baez, acting special agent in charge of HSI San Juan, emphasized the brutality of the crimes: “This case demonstrates that there are serious consequences for advertising, receiving, possessing, and distributing illegal images of innocent children being sexually exploited and traumatized. Predators who victimize innocent children for selfish gratification must know that we will not rest until they are brought to justice.”

If convicted, Maysonet-Galarza faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Cristina Caraballo under the supervision of AUSA Marshal Morgan, Chief of the Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Unit. This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat online child exploitation. Indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.