Mexican man imprisoned for attempting to enter U.S. with hundreds of child pornography videos and images

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - A 29-year-old Mexican national has been sentenced for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Juan Manuel Garza-Fuentes pleaded guilty Feb. 6.

U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera has now ordered Garza-Fuentes to serve 78 months in federal prison. Garza was further ordered to serve 35 years of supervised release following the completion of his prison term, during which time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Garza-Fuentes was further ordered to pay $13,000 in restitution and a $3,000 special assessment. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

The investigation began in July 2023 after Garza-Fuentes attempted to make entry into the United States through the Brownsville and Matamoros Port of Entry. Authorities conducted a forensic analysis of Garza-Fuentes' cell phone and discovered 255 videos and 170 images of child pornography.

Garza-Fuentes will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana C. Cano 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.