A Texas man has been charged on federal level with multiple counts of child exploitation offenses. Thomas Henry Lopez, 49, from Spring, Texas, was indicted by a federal grand jury, according to an official announcement by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California. Lopez faces two counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count for allegedly distributing explicit visual depictions of minors, and another for transferring obscene material to a minor.
The indictment, as detailed by the U.S. Attorney's Office, alleges that between June and July this year, Lopez contacted minors in California via TikTok, masquerading as a 12-year-old boy. He subsequently reportedly engaged with them through texts and JusTalk, an encrypted app. Court documents from the investigation indicate that Lopez requested explicit images and videos from the victims, and sent them inappropriate content, including images of himself.
Local and federal agencies, including the FBI and the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, led the investigation, with a specific mention of the Kingsburg Police Department's involvement. Investigators traced the illicit internet connections back to Lopez's home and workplace, confirming his identity. Lopez, a principal wells engineer in an unnamed oil and gas company, was apprehended by the FBI on September 3, as he was departing on a business trip to Singapore. Searches conducted at his residence resulted in the seizure of numerous electronic devices.
Lopez is set to appear before a federal magistrate judge in Houston, Texas, today. Upon conviction, he could face a multitude of sentences, a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years for the child exploitation charges, and five to 20 years for distributing explicit material. The transfer of obscene material charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years. As with all accused parties, Lopez is considered innocent until proven guilty. The case is a part of Project Safe Childhood. This initiative, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, aims to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
