An Iowa City man and Honduran national, Martin Edgardo Menjivar, was sentenced on March 26 to 42 years in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address crimes involving the exploitation of children. Authorities say that Menjivar, age 59, produced and possessed material depicting the sexual abuse of children he had access to. A forensic examination conducted in April 2025 revealed that his cell phones contained images and videos involving child sexual abuse material.
Menjivar also faces a pending charge for Sexual Abuse, Second Degree, in the Iowa District Court for Johnson County. After serving his prison sentence, he will be required to complete a ten-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa announced the sentencing. The investigation was carried out by the Iowa City Police Department and United States Marshals Service.
This prosecution was part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation nationwide. The program coordinates federal, state, and local resources to locate offenders who exploit children online and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
