Mexican Citizen Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Possession

Albany, NY – A disturbing crime has shaken the streets of New York, as a Mexican citizen has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography.

Shair Rodriguez-Mora, age 20, and a citizen of Mexico, was arrested after Border Patrol discovered the explicit content on his cell phone during an investigation into his improper entry into the United States.

Rodriguez-Mora admitted to possessing 27 videos and 46 images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct on his cell phone when he entered the United States from Canada on July 28, 2023.

The defendant was previously sentenced to 25 days in jail for his improper entry by an alien, but it’s the latest charges that will likely land him a harsher sentence.

Rodriguez-Mora will be sentenced on September 6, 2024, by Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes. Under the terms of his plea agreement, the parties have jointly recommended a prison term of between 24 and 36 months.

The defendant also faces a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. He must also register as a sex offender upon his release from prison, and faces removal from the United States.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the United States Border Patrol, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.

Project Safe Childhood is a federal initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, aimed at combating child exploitation and rescuing victims. For more information, visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.