Torres Gets 72 Months for Child Pornography

McALLEN, Texas – Angel DeJesus Torres, a 32-year-old Mexican citizen residing in Donna, Texas, is headed to federal prison after admitting to a sickening obsession: downloading and possessing child pornography. U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani announced the sentence today, a small measure of justice for the exploited children whose images Torres consumed.

Torres pleaded guilty on January 19th, and Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane didn’t mince words, handing down a 72-month sentence. The court heard a disturbing account of Torres’ digital depravity – the deliberate use of numerous peer-to-peer (P2P) applications to actively seek out and download images of abused children. Authorities seized evidence revealing Torres possessed 43 videos, totaling a horrifying 3,225 images.

The content wasn’t just disturbing; it depicted prepubescent children, some as young as four to nine years old, and minors subjected to acts of bondage. The damage Torres inflicted doesn’t end with his prison term. Judge Crane ordered him to pay $45,000 in restitution to the victims, a symbolic attempt to address the irreparable harm caused. Following his release, Torres will face five years of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.

The investigation began in October 2018, when Homeland Security Investigations’ Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Investigations Task Force identified individuals using P2P software to distribute illegal content. An IP address in Donna surfaced, openly sharing child pornography. A federal search warrant executed in May 2019 at an address in Donna led authorities to Torres, and his personal cellphone quickly became a key piece of evidence. Forensic analysis confirmed the presence of the 43 videos depicting the horrific abuse of children.

Torres readily admitted to frequently downloading, receiving, and possessing the child pornography. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation. PSC brings together federal, state, and local resources to hunt down predators and rescue victims.

The Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood isn’t just about punishment; it’s about prevention. Resources for internet safety education are available on the DOJ’s PSC page. This case serves as a grim reminder of the dark corners of the internet and the urgent need to protect vulnerable children. As for Torres, he’ll have plenty of time to reflect on his actions behind bars – and will likely face deportation proceedings as a non-U.S. citizen.