A federal judge in Dallas has sentenced Julio Chavez to 45 years in federal prison after his conviction for producing and receiving child sexual abuse material involving a 12‑year‑old boy. The 540‑month term was handed down last Wednesday in federal court in Dallas.
According to court records and a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, Chavez, a citizen and national of El Salvador who was in the United States illegally, was convicted in August 2025 on one count each of production and receipt of child sexual abuse material. Prosecutors said Chavez groomed the victim and persuaded the boy to send a sexually explicit video, and investigators later recovered hundreds of images and videos of child sexual abuse material on his phone. After he serves his prison term, he faces possible deportation and exclusion from the country, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.
Court records and official statements
In a statement posted by FBI Dallas, Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock called the prison term a "significant sentence" that underscores that crimes against children will not be tolerated. The FBI’s Facebook post about the case linked to the U.S. Attorney’s press release and summarized the evidence investigators described at sentencing. FBI Dallas noted that the bureau worked the case alongside the Irving Police Department.
Investigation and prosecution
Federal prosecutors said the case was handled in the Northern District of Texas and tried by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marissa Aulbaugh. Chavez was convicted in August 2025 and sentenced by U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the prosecution was brought under Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative that coordinates federal, state, and local resources against child sexual exploitation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas provided court details and contact information related to the case.
Aftermath and resources for families
Prosecutors said Chavez could be deported after completing his federal sentence, and community advocates say long sentences and joint local‑federal investigations remain key tools for disrupting online child exploitation. Parents or community members with tips or concerns about online exploitation can report to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s CyberTipline or contact local law enforcement.
The case highlights the broader federal effort to identify and prosecute people who exploit children online and the partnerships among federal agents, local police, and prosecutors that move those cases into court. Prosecutors and the FBI said they intend to continue bringing similar cases and working with local partners to protect vulnerable children.
