The Homeland Security Investigations Office (HSI) arrested two men accused of child pornography charges, the Puerto Rico Federal Prosecutor’s Office reported Monday.
“The United States Attorney’s Office and the federal and local law enforcement agencies in Puerto Rico remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting children from sexual predators,” said U.S. Attorney for Puerto Rico W. Stephen Muldrow.
The statement released by the authorities indicated that in December 2020 and January 2021, Nathan Gallarza, 22, transported these types of images and was charged with possession of child pornography.
Similarly, HSI special agents arrested Eduardo Luis Marrero, 52, a religious leader in the municipality of Cayey.
The indictment noted that between December 2022 and January 2023, Marrero used a telephone and Internet instant messaging services in order to persuade, entice, and coerce two minors under the age of 15 to engage in sexual acts.
Likewise, the authorities indicated that Marrero persuaded a minor and attempted to engage in explicit sexual conduct to produce visual content.
The subject faces two counts of coercion and seduction of a minor in violation of title 18 of the United States Code (USC) 2422(b) and two counts of production of child pornography in violation of 18 USC 2251 (a).
Both defendants were transferred to the Guaynabo Metropolitan Detention Center to await judicial proceedings.
“We remember and encourage the public to report any inappropriate behavior with children to their local authorities and together federal and local law enforcement agencies will seek justice for the victims of these crimes,” Muldow said.
If convicted, Gallarza faces a statutory minimum sentence of 5 years to 20 years in prison followed by a 5-year supervised release term, up to life in prison.
Marrero, for his part, faces a minimum prison sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life imprisonment for each count of coercion and seduction, and a maximum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years for each count of production of child pornography.
With information from the EFE agency