A Belen man is facing federal charges following an investigation into two online accounts that contained suspected child sexual abuse material, according to an Aug. 3 announcement from authorities.
Court documents state that in June 2026, Google submitted two CyberTipline reports to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children after identifying suspected Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) associated with two Google accounts linked to the same phone number. The reports identified a combined 25 files containing suspected CSAM uploaded to the accounts.
Investigators identified David Candido Gomez, 51, as the suspected user of the accounts after obtaining subscriber information associated with the phone number and identifying a device connected to the accounts. Location information placed the device near a residence in Belen, New Mexico, where agents executed a search warrant on July 30.
During the search, agents seized a cellphone associated with the Google accounts. According to court documents, a forensic review of the device revealed multiple images depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and evidence that both Google accounts had been accessed from this device and contained additional CSAM. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue efforts to identify victims depicted in the material.
Gomez is charged with possession of child pornography and will remain in custody pending trial. A trial date has not yet been scheduled. If convicted of this charge, Gomez faces up to 20 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made this announcement. The New Mexico Department of Justice Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force initiated this investigation before it was turned over to federal authorities, including FBI Albuquerque Field Office Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and other supporting agencies such as RCFL. This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood—a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation online.