A federal jury has convicted Felipe Mata-Benavidez, a 25-year-old man from Muleshoe, Texas, of child pornography crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Prerak Shah.
After approximately forty minutes of deliberation, a federal jury on Tuesday found Felipe Mata-Benavidez guilty of production of child pornography.
According to evidence presented at trial, Felipe Mata-Benavidez attempted to sexually assault an 11-year-old relative at her home in Muleshoe. During the assault, the victim’s mother walked in on Felipe Mata-Benavidez attempting to have sexual intercourse with minor.
The young girl’s mother stopped the assault and fled the residence with her young daughter. A short time later, a concerned neighbor notified law enforcement after hearing about the incident.
The Muleshoe Police Department interviewed Felipe Mata-Benavidez after receiving a report that he had attempted to sexually assaulted the 11-year-old girl. During an interview Felipe Mata-Benavidez, he showed detectives his cell phone, which contained his messages with the girl.
In those messages, Felipe Mata-Benavidez told the 11-year-old to send him explicit photographs of herself. When she refused, Felipe Mata-Benavidez bullied the girl until she conceded, texting Felipe Mata-Benavidez a lewd and lascivious image. He then commented saying the girl was beautiful and telling the her not to ‘share with anybody else… because it’s mine.’ Felipe Mata-Benavidez then continued to ask for the 11-year-old to send more explicit images.
Felipe Mata-Benavidez now faces up to 30 years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing has been set for July 8, 2021. The Federal Bureau of Investigation Lubbock Resident Agency, the Muleshoe Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Callie Woolam and Matthew McLeod prosecuted the case. U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix presided over the trial.
Related Federal Cases
- Daniel Ramirez-Tobias, Receipt of Child Pornography, Texas 2023 · Texas
- Jesus Salvador Lara-Perez, Receipt of Child Pornography, Texas 2024 · Texas
- Jimmy Gordon, Production of Child Pornography, Texas 2023 · Texas
- David Medina, Child Pornography Distribution, Texas 2024 · Texas
- Adam Thomas Simington, Child Pornography Possession, Texas 2017 · Texas
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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