An individual from Mexico has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for producing child pornography involving a minor, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
Juan Martin Sanchez-Suarez, age 24, received a sentence of 360 months in prison and will be subject to lifetime supervised release. He must also register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) and pay a $3,000 special assessment as required by the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Act. Sanchez-Suarez pleaded guilty in November to production of child pornography.
Court documents indicate that Sanchez-Suarez recorded himself engaging in a sexual act with a 12-year-old girl without her knowledge. He later sent the video to the victim and told her that if neither of them disclosed what happened, they would not face consequences.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and Lipscomb Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.
“If you believe someone is the victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact the Know2Protect tip line at 1-833-591-KNOW. All information received via the tipline will be reviewed by appropriate personnel and referred to HSI field offices for potential investigation. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org,” according to officials.
ICE emphasized its commitment to enforcing immigration and customs laws fairly and professionally: “ICE takes very seriously its obligation to enforce our nation’s immigration and customs laws, and employs practices that are intended to accomplish this in a fair, efficient, and professional manner. If you have information, you may call our public tip line at 1-866-DHS-2ICE (866-347-2423). For further information related to ICE, please visit our website at www.ice.gov.”
This prosecution was part of Project Safe Childhood—a national initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation online by coordinating federal, state, and local resources for investigation and prosecution efforts. More details about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
