Midland Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Entice a Child, Distribution of Child Pornography and Attempted Cocaine Distribution

In Midland, 44-year-old Jose Alonso Zubia was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release for attempting to entice a minor into engaging in sexual activity, announced U.S. Attorney John F. Bash; F.B.I. Special Agent in Charge Emmerson Buie, Jr., and Interim Midland Police Chief Seth Herman.

At sentencing yesterday afternoon, U.S. District Judge David Counts also ordered that the Midland resident pay a $10,000 special assessment to the Crime Victims Fund.

On July 23, 2018, Zubia pleaded guilty to one count of attempted enticement of a minor, one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.  

According to court records, on May 1, 2018, federal and local law enforcement authorities arrested Zubia when he arrived at a location to have a sexual encounter with a 14 year old he met online and the minor’s 12-year-old friend.  At the time, Zubia was in possession of cocaine, which he admitted he intended to provide to the minors.  Zubia also admitted that he had previously sent videos depicting child pornography to the 14 year old.

“The sentencing of Zubia is an affirmation of the dedication, commitment, and hard work of the F.B.I. and the Midland Police Department to work diligently in keeping the Midland Community safe.  The F.B.I. will continue to seek out, investigate and prosecute those individuals that target children for sexual enticement,” stated F.B.I. Special Agent in Charge Buie.

The F.B.I. and the Midland Police Department investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenn Harwood prosecuted 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.