A Del Rio resident has been sentenced to just over eight years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). 23-year-old Henry P. Arredondo was implicated after Homeland Security Investigations unearthed evidence linking him to the exchange of files depicting CSAM on social media platforms.
Arredondo's conviction stems from a forensic examination of his cell phone, which led to the recovery of 46 images featuring prepubescent male children in August 2021. Following the discovery, Arredondo was arrested on August 26, 2022, and later entered a guilty plea on November 21, 2022. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas, according to a press release from the Department of Justice.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rex Beasley, Arredondo will now face 97 months behind bars for offenses that have increasingly come under federal scrutiny. This investigation falls under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
For individuals looking for information about Project Safe Childhood, resources are available at the Department of Justice's official website.
