Crime: Marcus Moreno, a 27-year-old man from LaVilla, Texas, admitted to sending obscene material to a minor in West Virginia. According to Acting U.S. Attorney Randolph J. Bernard, Moreno began communicating with a 15-year-old girl via social media applications in October 2018. The victim’s parents turned over her phone to investigators, who found thousands of text messages, chats, and video communications between the victim and Moreno.
The investigation revealed that Moreno sent thousands of images of child pornography of the victim and obscene pornographic images of himself. In a voluntary statement to agents in May 2019, Moreno admitted to meeting the victim online in a chat room when she was 14 years old. He also stated that he planned to marry the victim when she turned 18.
During the search of his home, the FBI found thousands of graphic files and video files of the victim on several flash drives and devices. Moreno faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006. The FBI and the West Virginia State Police investigated the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberley D. Crockett prosecuting on behalf of the government.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided over the case. Moreno’s guilty plea marks a significant step in bringing justice to the victim and holding him accountable for his crimes.
As part of Project Safe Childhood, federal, state, and local resources are marshaled to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related Federal Cases
- Marcus Moreno, Transfer of Obscenity to Minor, West Virginia 2023 · Texas
- Makel Elboghdady, Sex Offense Against Minor, West Virginia 2021 · Texas
- Texas Man Sentenced to 17 Years for Traveling to Virginia to Have Sex with Minor · Texas
- Alvin Norlee Moore III, Sex Trafficking of a Minor, Virginia 2015 · North Carolina
- Christopher J. Schragl, Failure to Register, West Virginia 2022 · Texas
Key Facts
- State: West Virginia
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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