A Mexican citizen has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for transporting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) into the United States from Canada, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan.
Jose Rodriguez-Garcia, 27, was convicted of one count of transporting CSAM after pleading guilty. He has remained in custody since his arrest on June 6, 2024. Authorities reported that Rodriguez-Garcia and another individual were observed by U.S. Border Patrol agents crossing Hall Stream from Canada into New Hampshire. Both men were detained and taken to the Beecher Falls Border Station for processing.
During a search of Rodriguez-Garcia’s belongings, agents discovered several electronic devices, including a thumb drive containing images believed to be CSAM.
U.S. District Judge Landya McCafferty handed down the sentence and ordered Rodriguez-Garcia to pay $6,000 in restitution.
“The defendant illegally entered the United States by crossing from Canada while travelling with a substantial cache of CSAM that documented the exploitation and abuse of vulnerable children,” said United States Attorney Creegan. “Mr. Rodriguez-Garcia’s CSAM collection was among the few possessions he carried with him into New Hampshire and serves as a reminder of the international market for CSAM.”
“Rodriguez-Garcia held no regard for our laws. He not only crossed into New Hampshire illegally, he carried with him deeply disturbing images of the sexual abuse of children. Today’s sentence is the result of the vigilance of our partners in the Border Patrol and the work of our special agents to ensure that those who bring child exploitation materials into our country are identified, apprehended, and held fully accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations within the Department of Homeland Security and by U.S. Border Patrol agents. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles L. Rombeau prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 aimed at protecting children from exploitation and abuse through coordination among federal, state, and local resources to identify offenders and rescue victims nationwide. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
