Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A man from Mexico, Raul Velasco-Leon, aged 39, has been indicted on charges of transportation and possession of child pornography. This information was announced by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Velasco-Leon, who is already in custody, will soon have his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher dos Santos.
The indictment stems from an incident on March 12 when Velasco-Leon was stopped by authorities at Juarez-Lincoln International Bridge while he was heading back to Mexico. During a search of his belongings, officials allegedly discovered a piece of youth-sized clothing with the words “Girl Power” in a pocket.
Additional charges include the discovery of multiple electronic devices, such as 10 USB flash drives. Among these, one contained five files of child sexual abuse material.
If Velasco-Leon is convicted, he could face up to 20 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine A. Cortez is handling the prosecution. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006, focusing on combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative leverages resources at federal, state, and local levels to prosecute offenders and assist victims. More information can be found on the DOJ’s Project Safe Childhood page.
It is important to note that an indictment is a formal charge and does not equate to guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven otherwise through legal proceedings.
