Juan Martin Rosales, Child Sex Exploitation and Child Pornography, New Mexico 2017

A Dona Ana County man, Juan Martin Rosales, 48, of Chaparral, New Mexico, is facing federal child sex exploitation and child pornography charges, a federal judge found probable cause for the charges on October 16, 2017.

Rosales is accused of sexually exploiting children and receiving and possessing child pornography from October 2015 through October 16, 2017, in Dona Ana County, New Mexico, according to the complaint.

A neighbor initially reported Rosales' alleged possession of a tablet computer containing child pornography to the Dona Ana County Sheriff's Office in April 2017, leading to an investigation.

During the execution of a search warrant on October 16, 2017, law enforcement agents allegedly recovered numerous SD cards, cellular phones, a tablet computer, and other electronic devices from Rosales' home, which allegedly contain child pornography.

Rosales was arrested on related state charges on that same day.

If convicted of the child sex exploitation charge, Rosales faces a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison. If convicted of receiving child pornography, Rosales faces a statutory mandatory minimum penalty of five years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. If convicted of possessing child pornography, Rosales faces a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison.

Charges in criminal complaints are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.

This 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 of the U.S. Attorney's Las Cruces Branch Office 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.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nm/pr/dona-ana-county-man-facing-federal-child-sexual-exploitation-and-child-pornography