Juan Martin Rosales, Child Pornography Charges, New Mexico 2023

A 49-year-old man from Chaparral, New Mexico, has plead guilty to child pornography charges.

According to the New Mexico U.S. Attorney's office, Juan Martin Rosales, plead guilty to the indictment without the benefit of a plea agreement.

Rosales was charged with 15 counts of producing child pornography and three counts of possessing child pornography. He committed the crimes in Otero County, New Mexico, between 2015 and 2017.

The investigation into Rosales was initiated in April 2017, when his neighbors reported to the Dona Ana County Sheriff's Office that he possessed a tablet computer containing child pornography. During the execution of a search warrant on October 16, 2017, law enforcement agents recovered numerous SD cards, cellular phones, a tablet computer, and other electronic devices from Rosales' home.

Rosales was indicted on January 17, 2018. He faces a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison. He remains in custody pending a sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.

The case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of Homeland Security Investigations, the Dona Ana County Sheriff's Office, Las Cruces Police Department, and the Otero County Sheriff's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander B. Shapiro is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Rosales' crime is a part of the ongoing effort to combat child exploitation and abuse. Individuals with information relating to suspected child predators and suspected child abuse are encouraged to contact the Children's Advocacy Center tipline at (575) 526-3437.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nm/pr/dona-ana-county-man-pleads-guilty-federal-child-pornography-charges