Related Federal Cases
Corpus Christi Firefighter Jailed for Child Porn
A Corpus Christi firefighter has been ordered to spend 15 years behind bars for producing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson.
Justin Ryan Serna, 28, pleaded guilty in October 2015 to producing child pornography, also known as sexual exploitation of a child. Today, Senior U.S. District Judge John D. Rainey sentenced Serna to 15 years in federal prison, which will be immediately followed by 10 years of supervised release.
The victim’s father spoke at the hearing, describing the devastating impact of the crime on his daughter and family. Serna’s actions were discovered after authorities found electronic images on a notebook computer of a juvenile female involved in a sexual act.
Further investigation revealed that Serna had enticed the juvenile female to engage in the sexually explicit conduct with the intention of creating a visual depiction of the activities. Many of the communications between Serna and the victim occurred while he was employed as a Corpus Christi firefighter.
Serna was arrested in July 2015 on federal charges and has been in custody since then. He will remain behind bars until his transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. The charges were the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Corpus Christi Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hugo R. Martinez as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
As part of his sentence, Serna must also register as a sex offender. The case highlights the importance of vigilance in protecting children from online predators and the need for continued efforts to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
RELATED: Miami Beach Predator Smith Gets 19 Years for Sextortion
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
US NewsUS NewsUS NewsUS News