HSI investigation results in 17-and-a-half-year prison sentence for south Texas man possessing child pornography

MCALLEN, Texas — A south Texas man was sentenced to 17 and a half years in federal prison for possessing child pornography with the intent to sell it on the internet, following an investigation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Task Force.

Astro Rey De Leon, 33, was sentenced May 31 in federal court to 210 months in prison to include a lifetime of supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. De Leon pleaded guilty Dec. 17, 2021.

At the hearing, the court heard additional information including chats De Leon had with other individuals regarding the trade and sale of child sexual abuse material. The court also considered descriptions of the videos De Leon possessed and victim impact statements. In handing down the prison term, the court noted that De Leon’s crimes were particularly heinous due to the ages of the victims, the number of videos involved, and because he retained and sold videos to tailor his collection to his own desires. Judge Crane also reiterated that the material recorded sexual abuse of children and should be addressed as such. De Leon was further ordered to pay a total of $15,000 in restitution to five victims.

According to court documents, authorities learned a computer was receiving child pornography, which they were able to trace it to De Leon at his residence. He admitted he was actively involved in speaking with individuals interested in buying child pornography via applications on his cell phone. A search of his phone revealed he had recently tried to sell child pornography. De Leon further admitted he had bought it himself only two months prior to law enforcement’s arrival at his residence.

De Leon remains in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons Facility to be determined soon. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliza Carmen Rodriguez, Southern District of Texas, is prosecuting the case.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free tip line at 1-866-347-2423, or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the United States and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199; hearing impaired users may call TTY 802-872-6196.

HSI takes a victim-centered approach to child exploitation investigations by working to identify, rescue, and stabilize victims. HSI works in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) partners, and other federal, state, and local agencies to help solve cases and rescue sexually exploited children. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to NCMEC’s toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

HSI is a founding member of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.

One of HSI’s top priorities is to protect the public from crimes of victimization, and HSI’s child exploitation investigations program is a central component of this mission set. Further, HSI is recognized as a global leader in this investigative discipline, and is committed to utilizing its vast authorities, international footprint and strong government and non-government partnerships to identify and rescue child victims, identify, and apprehend offenders, prevent transnational child sexual abuse, and help make the internet a safer place for children.

HSI is a directorate of ICE and the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of over 10,400 employees consists of more than 7,100 special agents assigned to 220 cities throughout the United States, and 80 overseas locations in 53 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.