A Mexican citizen, Martin Alonso Diaz-Lopez, has been sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for attempting to enter the United States with child pornography. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Diaz-Lopez, who pleaded guilty on July 9, 2024, was found accountable for transporting 66,489 images of child sexual abuse material into the country. U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen highlighted that Diaz-Lopez not only possessed these images but also shared them online and brought them into the United States.
The court ordered Diaz-Lopez to pay $44,148 in restitution to the victims depicted in the images he transported. As a non-U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings after serving his sentence and will be required to register as a sex offender while complying with restrictions limiting his access to children and the internet.
The investigation began when authorities identified Diaz-Lopez's email as part of a network sharing child pornography online from Tijuana, Mexico. His visa application in 2023 listed this same email address, prompting law enforcement to place an alert on his name.
On March 22, 2024, Diaz-Lopez arrived at the Lincoln-Juarez Port of Entry in Laredo and was referred for secondary inspection due to the alert on his name. A search of his phones revealed approximately 20 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), leading to a forensic examination uncovering a total of 1,484 files - including videos and pictures.
Diaz-Lopez admitted that he began viewing CSAM in Pennsylvania in 2022 and continued after returning to Mexico. He also acknowledged participating in group chats where CSAM was exchanged.
U.S. Attorney Ganjei stated: “The defendant not only chose to break our country’s immigration laws but also decided to bring in thousands of images of children being sexually abused... Neither defendant nor his sick proclivities are welcome in America.”
Mauro Lopez from Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) emphasized: “Today's sentencing shows that anyone trying to exploit and harm children... will face serious consequences."
Diaz-Lopez remains in custody pending transfer to the Federal Bureau of Prisons following an investigation conducted by ICE-HSI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Makens prosecuted the case under Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation.
