Uvalde Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Pornography

By Grimy Times Staff, Del Rio, TX – March 2024 – Grimy Times

20-year-old Pedro Gonzalez, Jr., a resident of Uvalde, Texas, pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography in a federal court in Del Rio today, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden, San Antonio Division; and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Victor Garcia, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. According to court records, on August 22, 2019, authorities executed a federal search warrant at the defendant’s residence.

During the search, authorities seized a computer hard drive belonging to the defendant. A subsequent search of the computer hard drive revealed the presence of numerous images of child pornography.

Gonzalez faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each charge. Sentencing, before U.S. District Judge Alia Moses in Del Rio, has yet to be scheduled.

The investigation was initiated by a lead from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children concerning the uploading of possible child pornography. The Cyber Crimes Unit of the Texas Attorney General’s Office and HSI investigated this case. The Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the execution of the search warrant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Spears is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the government.

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. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS

Sex Crimes

Brian Musomba Maweu, Child Exploitation, Louisiana 2015

Apr 9, 2015

Sex Crimes

Eric Flores, Production of Child Pornography, Texas 2013

Jan 14, 2016

Sex Crimes

Jeffrey Jandreau, Failure to Register as Sex Offender, South Dakota 2014

Jun 22, 2015

Sex Crimes

Joseph D. Maurizio Jr., Sex Abuse, Pennsylvania 2015

Mar 3, 2016