Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A Mexican national, Ezequiel Vallejo-Hernandez, 26, has been sentenced to federal prison for possessing child pornography. U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced the sentencing following Vallejo-Hernandez's guilty plea on February 12, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera ordered Vallejo-Hernandez to serve a 78-month prison term and pay $57,500 in restitution to victims. After his release, he will be under supervised release for ten years with conditions restricting his access to children and the internet. He must also register as a sex offender.
The case began when Vallejo-Hernandez attempted to enter the United States at the Gateway International Port of Entry on September 16, 2023. Authorities referred him for secondary inspection due to a "lookout" alert from a Cybertip report by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. A search of his cell phone revealed child sexual assault material (CSAM).
Ganjei commented on the role of Project Safe Childhood (PSC) in this case: “Since its founding, the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood (PSC) has allowed prosecutors and law enforcement to uncover and prosecute those that prey on children online. This case is a textbook example on how PSC is making the internet safer for children.”
Further forensic analysis found 557 CSAM files within Vallejo-Hernandez's MEGA cloud storage application on his phone. He admitted downloading these files and acknowledged that possessing such material was illegal.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana C. Cano prosecuted the case under PSC—a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse.
