Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio to 210 months in prison and ordered to pay $45,000 in restitution to nine victims for distributing child pornography.
According to court documents, for more than two decades, Carlos Fabian Velez, 52, used a peer-to-peer file sharing system to traffic in child sexual abuse material and distribute hundreds of files depicting children as young as infants and toddlers. Velez was arrested on March 28, 2022 and, on Aug. 23, 2023, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography.
“The sexual abuse and exploitation of children have horrific effects on the victims,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. “Individuals like Mr. Velez, who choose to traffic child sexual abuse images, must understand that their choices have very serious consequences beyond a lengthy prison sentence.”
“Carlos Velez victimized some of our most vulnerable citizens for decades,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Doug Olson for the FBI San Antonio Division. “This sentence is reflective of the FBI’s dedication to hold accountable predators who would exploit innocent children.”
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracy Thompson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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