A 29-year-old Mexican man has been sentenced to spend over five years in federal prison after pleading guilty to child pornography charges.
Authorities said Luis Felipe Salazar-Sanchez had purchased child pornography and tried to cross it from Mexico into the United States.
Salazar-Sanchez appeared Wednesday before U.S. District Judge J. Rolando Olvera, who sentenced him to 70 months in prison to be immediately followed by 10 years of supervised release, the United State’s Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas said in a press release.
Because Salazar-Sanchez is not a U.S. citizen he will face removal proceedings following his sentence.
Authorities said the court considered statements from seven victims describing the trauma they have endured. In handing down the prison term, Olvera additionally ordered Salazar-Sanchez to pay $9,000 in restitution which will be divided equally amongst victims who requested restitution.
The investigation revealed Salazar-Sanchez had been purchasing child pornography. On Oct. 20, 2019, authorities suspected he was going to attempt to enter the United States from Mexico, the press release said.
As he approached the Gateway Port of Entry in Brownsville, law enforcement identified him and referred him to secondary inspection. There, they conducted a search of his cellphone. Forensic analysis resulted in the discovery of nearly 600 images and videos of child pornography including numerous images depicting prepubescent minors and sadistic and masochistic conduct, the release said.
Salazar-Sanchez has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Investigation Task Force conducted the investigation with the assistance of Customs and Border Protection.
