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Laredo professor faces charges over alleged production of child pornography

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U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani | U.S. Department of Justice

A Laredo resident has been charged with producing and distributing videos involving the sexual exploitation of minors, according to U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Carlos Jobany Castaneda Lechuga, 36, is set to appear for a detention hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher dos Santos.

The complaint, filed on December 2, claims that authorities discovered videos produced in the United States and distributed on the dark web. These videos allegedly feature an adult male with different minor children across at least three separate recordings.

Law enforcement identified the male as Lechuga, who previously worked as a private teacher in Phoenix, Arizona, and later as a professor in Laredo. The investigation further revealed that Lechuga offered private music lessons aimed at minors.

Authorities executed a search warrant on Lechuga's residence in Laredo on December 1. The charges claim that someone familiar with the location identified it as where at least one video was produced.

If convicted of producing child pornography, Lechuga could face up to 30 years in federal prison and up to 20 years for each count of distribution. Each charge also carries a potential $250,000 fine.

The FBI led the investigation into this case. Individuals with information about possible victims or those who believe they have been victimized are urged to contact the FBI at 210-225-6741.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tory Sailer and Michael Makens are prosecuting the case under Project Safe Childhood (PSC), an initiative launched by the Department of Justice (DOJ) in May 2006 to address child sexual exploitation and abuse. This program brings together federal, state, and local resources to apprehend individuals exploiting children while identifying and rescuing victims.

It is important to note that a criminal complaint is an accusation and not evidence; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty through due process of law.

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