Deming Man Gets 30 Years for Child Porn Production

Guillermo Rodriguez Garcia, 40, of Deming, New Mexico, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for producing child pornography after admitting to sexually abusing two minors over several years. The sentence, handed down in federal court, marks the end of a harrowing case that began with a local police response and spiraled into a federal prosecution under the umbrella of Project Safe Childhood.

Garcia pleaded guilty on July 6, 2022, to production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The crime came to light in 2020 when the Deming Police Department responded to allegations of child sexual abuse. During a follow-up interview, Garcia confessed to molesting a 12-year-old in his care “numerous times” and began abusing another minor when that child was just 10 years old.

Federal authorities moved in after investigators discovered Garcia had recorded videos of himself sexually assaulting the 12-year-old victim. He was initially arrested on state charges but was later taken into federal custody when the child pornography evidence surfaced. The footage served as pivotal evidence in securing the federal conviction, which carries one of the harshest penalties under U.S. law for sexual exploitation of children.

“Child victims of sexual assault are often doomed to a life sentence in the shadow of their abuse,” said United States Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez. “While Garcia will spend three decades in prison, the effects of his heinous actions will echo for far longer. That is why, during my term as the United States Attorney, I have personally prosecuted sex offenders and will use the weight of the federal government to protect our children from these pernicious predators.”

Francisco B. Burrola, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso, condemned Garcia’s actions without reservation. “This sentence matches the revolting actions of a despicable criminal who exploited innocent children for his personal gratification,” Burrola said. “Homeland Security Investigations will never relent in our efforts to put child predators where they belong – behind bars!”

Upon completion of his 30-year sentence, Garcia will face lifetime supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender. The case was investigated by HSI with support from the Sixth Judicial District Attorney’s Office and the Deming Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marisa A. Ong and Matilda McCarthy Villalobos prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a DOJ initiative launched in 2006 to combat the rising tide of child sexual exploitation across the United States.