Source: Office of United States Attorneys
McALLEN, Texas – A South Texas man and woman have been ordered to federal prison for production of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Luis Alberto Huerta, 44, Weslaco, and Jessica Gutierrez, 47, Donna, pleaded guilty Nov. 6, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Huerta and Gutierrez to serve 360 and 336 months in prison, respectively. At the hearing, the court heard additional information detailing how Huerta and Gutierrez created a living hell for the victim and forced her to participate in a “game” that resulted in the continuous sexual abuse and production of child pornography of an innocent child. Huerta and Gutierrez will also serve the rest of their lives on supervised release following completion of their prison terms. During that time, they will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict their access to children and the internet. They will also be ordered to register as sex offenders.
The investigation began in 2023. It revealed Huerta and Gutierrez had perpetuated the sexual abuse of a child beginning when she only seven years old. It continued for three years.
Huerta and Gutierrez admitted to participating in the sexual assault of the minor victim and to recording it. A search of their electronic devices revealed photos and videos of the assaults.
“Huerta and Gutierrez committed an unspeakable offense and thus have earned every day of the multi-decade sentences,” said Ganjei. “No sentence can undo the damage done to the victim in this case, but hopefully the defendants’ prosecution and sentences will deter others from engaging in the same vile conduct.”
Huerta and Gutierrez have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Edinburg Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia prosecuted 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.