U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester | U.S. Department of Justice
Michael Rios, a 43-year-old resident of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for possession and distribution of child pornography. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
The charges against Rios stemmed from an incident on January 8 and 9, 2024, when an FBI agent accessed an online encrypted messaging service and encountered a profile sharing child pornography. The profile was traced back to Rios, leading to his arrest after agents discovered a significant collection of child pornography on his digital devices during a court-authorized search.
At the time of his arrest, Rios was already facing charges in Oklahoma County District Court for manufacturing child pornography and possessing obscene material involving a minor under case number CF-2022-5095. He was accused of recording a minor without their knowledge in 2019.
On June 3, 2024, Rios pleaded guilty to two counts related to possession and distribution of child pornography. During the sentencing hearing held on November 18, 2024, U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones imposed the maximum statutory sentence due to "the disturbing and demented nature of Rios’ conduct and the danger he presented to the public."
The investigation was conducted by the FBI's Oklahoma City Field Office in conjunction with the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), an initiative led by the Department of Justice aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse through collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies.
For further details about PSC, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
