Three Individuals Arrested for Possession of Child Pornography

Operation Latin Angels

SAN JUAN, PR—Yesterday, May 30, 2012, a federal grand jury indicted three individuals in three separate indictments for possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. These investigations were conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The defendants and the charges are as follows:

■Ángel Luis Pérez-Díaz, Puerto Rico Police Sergeant, was arrested last night by the FBI without incident. Pérez-Díaz is facing one charge of possession of child pornography. The defendant knowingly possessed one or more matters which contained visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct such as visual depictions of the lascivious exhibition of the genital areas of female minors.

■Ramon García-Suárez, local civil lawyer, knowingly transported in interstate and foreign commerce by computer a visual depiction of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct such as actual female minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. A second count charges García-Suárez with possession of one or more visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct such as visual depictions of the lascivious exhibition of the genital areas of male and female minors and simulated or actual sexual intercourse between male and female minors and adults.

■Rafael Rivera-Santos knowingly possessed one or more matters that contained visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct such as visual depictions of the lascivious exhibition of the genital areas of male minors and simulated or actual sexual intercourse between male minors and adults.

The three defendants are facing forfeiture allegations for all materials and properties used or intended to be used in possession, receipt, distribution, or transportation of child pornography. Some of these items are desktop and laptop computers and hard drives.

“The U.S. Department of Justice, through its Project Safe Childhood, will continue prosecuting online sexual predators of minors,” said United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico, Rosa Emilia Rodriguez. “We appreciate the collaboration of local law enforcement in this investigation, and we look forward to future joint efforts in our fight to protect the children of Puerto Rico.”

‪ “Those engaged in child pornography are committing the most egregious of crimes. The FBI will continue to pursue these child predators no matter what their occupation or position,” said Joseph Campbell, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office.

Assistant United States Attorney Dina Ávila-Jiménez is in charge of the prosecutions.

If convicted, the defendants face up to 10 years of imprisonment. Criminal indictments contain only charges and are not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.