A Mexican national is facing up to 20 years behind bars after pleading guilty to possession of child pornography in a Texas federal court. Kevin Alejandro Santos-Moya, 21, was busted at a U.S. border crossing with illicit images and videos on his iPhone, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced yesterday.
Attempting to enter the United States at the Los Indios Port of Entry on June 30, 2023, Santos-Moya was quickly to subjected to a more thorough search by border agents. It was during this inspection that the illegal content was found on his electronic device. A forensic deep-dive later revealed a stash of 31 images and 37 videos depicting child sexual abuse material.
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. presided over Santos-Moya's plea hearing and scheduled sentencing for September 5. Alongside the heavy prison term, Santos-Moya could also be hit with a fine of up to $250,000. To date, he has been detained, pending the outcome of his sentencing, as confirmed in the Justice Department’s statement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana C. Cano, the lead prosecutor on the case, highlighted that this arrest was part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a Department of Justice initiative designed to combat the rampant issue of child exploitation. The PSC marshals a formidable combination of federal, state, and local efforts to diligently locate, apprehend, and to prosecute those who victimize children, as well as to identify and rescue the victims themselves.
For those seeking information on the efforts to curb child exploitation or tips on internet safety education, resources can be found on PSC's page on the DOJ website. The Homeland Security Investigations unit was credited with conducting the investigation leading to Santos-Moya's arrest and plea deal.
