Clinton J. Johnson U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma
A Mexican national, Ruben Manuel Barraza Reyes, was indicted on Mar. 12 for charges related to possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The indictment lists charges of Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography, Possession of Child Pornography, and Obscene Visual Representations of the Sexual Abuse of Children.
The case is significant as it highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address crimes involving the exploitation of children online. According to court documents, law enforcement in August 2025 identified an individual in Alaska who was receiving and distributing child sexual abuse material through the messaging application Telegram. This individual was found to be communicating with a user later identified as Barraza Reyes. Within two days, they exchanged dozens of images and videos containing child sexual abuse material, including obscene drawings depicting children being sexually abused.
Law enforcement executed search warrants at Barraza Reyes's residence and seized electronic devices, including a cellphone he had at the time of his arrest. During booking procedures, agents discovered that Barraza Reyes was unlawfully residing in the United States.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation into this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Dewhurst is prosecuting the matter. Authorities emphasized that "an indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law."
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program brings together federal, state, and local resources to locate offenders who exploit children via the Internet and rescue victims.
