Corpus Christi, Texas – A 20-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been handed a 72-month federal prison sentence for distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), according to U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Angel Valdez, 20, pleaded guilty on April 28th in a plea that shocked the community. U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos imposed the lengthy sentence, citing the severity of the offense and Valdez’s past criminal conduct. The defendant was also sentenced to 10 years of supervised release following his prison term, with strict conditions designed to limit his access to children and the internet. Valdez will be registered as a sex offender.
The investigation began in December 2023 when an astute social media user reported Valdez’s support for an Australian prisoner convicted of animal cruelty. This led to Australian law enforcement initiating undercover conversations with Valdez, during which he expressed his interest in both animal cruelty and CSAM. A search warrant executed on June 28, 2024, uncovered a laptop laden with CSAM, confirming Valdez’s involvement in distributing the illegal material.
Valdez will remain in custody until transferred to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility. The investigation was a collaborative effort between Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), the Corpus Christi Police Department, and Australian authorities. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Project Safe Childhood is a relentless pursuit of predators who target our most vulnerable citizens. For more information on this effort, and ways to stay safe online, visit DOJ’s PSC page.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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