Michael Mendoza, Child Exploitation, Florida 2021

Miami Man Caught with Over 300 Child Pornography Videos and Photos

Miami, Florida – Miami resident Michael Mendoza, 61, pled guilty last week in South Florida federal district court to receiving and possessing child pornography. This is a serious crime that has no place in our society. The guilty plea sets the stage for Mendoza’s sentencing, which will determine the extent of his punishment.

According to case documents and statements made in court, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Mendoza’s home, where he lived with his wife and two adult children. Officers found a desktop computer and two external hard drives containing videos and photographs of child pornography and 11 compact discs with labels indicative of child pornography. This is a clear indication of Mendoza’s involvement in the production and distribution of child pornography.

Some of the over 300 videos and photographs of child pornography that Mendoza had showed toddlers being forced to perform sexual acts on adults. Forensic analysis of the media showed Mendoza has been viewing and storing child pornography for almost two decades. This is a disturbing trend that highlights the need for continued vigilance in the fight against child exploitation.

Mendoza admitted that he downloaded child pornography to his computer using a peer-to-peer sharing application and that he stored child pornography for later viewing. This is a clear admission of guilt and sets the stage for his sentencing.

U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez will sentence Mendoza on December 17, 2021, at 11:30 a.m. in Miami. The sentence will determine the extent of Mendoza’s punishment, with a maximum of up to 20 years in prison for each count.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Miami-Dade Police Department, Hialeah Police Department, and City of Miami Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Yara Dodin and Quinshawna Landon are prosecuting this case, with AUSA Peter Laserna handling asset forfeiture.

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