Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A federal jury in McAllen, Texas, found 43-year-old Jose Rodriguez Jr. from Lyford guilty of possessing 150 images of child pornography. The announcement came from U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. The decision was reached after roughly 15 minutes of deliberation following a one-day trial.
Rodriguez was initially arrested on August 12, 2024, in connection with an alien transportation case. During the arrest, authorities seized his phone, uncovering over 150 images and videos classified as child sexual assault material (CSAM).
In court, evidence and testimony showed that Rodriguez had downloaded and stored multiple CSAM files over several months. The files reportedly contained images of prepubescent children being sexually assaulted. Rodriguez also has a previous conviction for criminal attempted sexual assault involving a minor from 2010.
The defense argued that a virus might have downloaded the CSAM, but evidence contradicted this theory. Investigators found over 100 user accounts on Rodriguez's phone, all linked to him, and CSAM downloads on 20 separate occasions from April to August 2024. A computer forensic expert testified that the pattern of downloads indicated they were intentional.
"The Southern District of Texas has zero tolerance for child sex offenses, much less repeat sex offenders like the defendant in this case," stated Ganjei. "We are grateful to the jury for serving justice in this case."
Sentencing is scheduled for July 15 by U.S. District Judge Drew Tipton. Rodriguez faces a possible sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
Rodriguez is also involved in a separate case related to human smuggling, to which he has pleaded guilty. He will remain in custody until sentencing in both cases.
The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, Border Patrol, with help from the Raymondville Police Department and Willacy County Sheriff's Office. Prosecutors for the case are Assistant U.S. Attorneys Devin Walker and Jose Garcia. The case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a Department of Justice initiative established in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse, pooling federal, state, and local resources to prosecute offenders and rescue victims.
