Source: Office of United States Attorneys
LAREDO, Texas – A 42-year-old Laredo resident has pleaded guilty to receipt and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Roberto Ortiz Jr. admitted he downloaded and possessed child pornography on his computer and an external hard drive.
The investigation began March 23, 2024, when law enforcement downloaded files containing child pornography from an IP address linked to Ortiz. On June 4, 2024, authorities executed a search warrant at Ortiz’s residence. He gave them access to his computer and showed them where he saved his downloaded content. They saw images of child pornography and took Ortiz into custody.
Forensic analysis resulted in the discovery of over 3,000 files containing child pornography on Ortiz’s computer and external hard drive.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo will impose sentencing May 19. At that time, Ortiz faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Laredo Child Exploitation Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine A. Cortez is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.