In Del Rio today, 20-year-old Uvalde, Texas, resident Pedro Gonzalez, Jr., pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden, San Antonio Division; and, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton.

Appearing before U.S Magistrate Judge Victor Garcia, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.  According to court records, on August 22, 2019, authorities executed a federal search warrant at the defendant’s residence.  During the search, authorities seized a computer hard drive belonging to the defendant.  A subsequent search of the computer hard drive revealed the presence of numerous images of child pornography.

Gonzalez faces up to 20 years in federal prison for each charge.  Sentencing, before U.S. District Judge Alia Moses in Del Rio, has yet to be scheduled.   

The investigation was initiated by a lead from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children concerning the uploading of possible child pornography. The Cyber Crimes Unit of the Texas Attorney General’s Office and HSI investigated this case.  The Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the execution of the search warrant.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Spears is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.