Othon Jorge Zamarripa, Child Exploitation, New Mexico 2025

Albuquerque Man Sentenced to Life for Child Exploitation

An Albuquerque man was sentenced to life in prison after a jury found him guilty of multiple child exploitation offenses following a federal trial.

Othon Jorge Zamarripa, 35, was sentenced to life in prison without parole after being convicted of two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor. The conviction was the result of a multi-day trial that took place on July 28, 2025.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Zamarripa abused his position of trust as a caregiver by coercing minors to engage in illegal sexual activity through manipulation, threats, physical abuse, and the use of online pornography to exert control and maintain secrecy.

The abuse occurred from 2018 through 2022, and the court took into account the nature of the offenses, the length of time over which they occurred, and the harm caused when imposing the sentence of life imprisonment.

Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Ryan G. McRae, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, made the announcement today.

Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso investigated this case with assistance from the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office and Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joni Autrey Stahl and Jackson K. Dering V prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006.

Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

Othon Jorge Zamarripa is currently serving a life sentence without parole at an undisclosed federal correctional facility. The case is a sobering reminder of the devastating impact of child exploitation and the importance of continued efforts to combat this heinous crime.

About Project Safe Childhood: For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nm/pr/anthony-man-sentenced-life-following-trial-conviction-child-exploitation-offenses