President of Texas non-profit charged in child pornography, firearms case

PECOS, Texas – A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment Thursday against the president of a non-profit company in Presidio, Texas, charging him with various child pornography and firearms offenses. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents investigated the case.

Clyde Rudolph Allen Jr., 64, was arrested by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers Feb. 29 after he applied for admission into the United States at the Port of Entry in Presidio. Allen is the president of A Natures Sanctuary, Inc., a non-profit company established to preserve nature.

During an inspection, officers discovered two cellular phones, one of which contained an image of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Further inspection, revealed that Allen allegedly texted the image to the other cellular phone, then forwarded the image to an email address related to A Natures Sanctuary. HSI special agents then executed a search warrant at his residence and discovered several rifles, a handgun and an assortment of ammunition. Previously, Allen has been convicted of numerous offenses to include interstate transportation of a stolen motor vehicle, and convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

The nine-count superseding indictment charges Allen with the following:

• one count of traveling in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in any illicit sexual conduct with a minor
• one count of knowingly transporting a minor with the intent that the minor engage in sexually explicit activity
• three counts of production of child pornography
• one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography
• one count of possession of child pornography
• two counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, namely a Remington 1100 Shotgun and a Marlin 336 rifle

The superseding indictment also contains a notice of criminal forfeiture whereby the government is seeking to forfeit Allen's residence as well as the firearms and ammunition HSI special agents seized.

Allen remains in federal custody. No trial date has been set. If convicted, Allen faces a maximum sentence of 30 years imprisonment for each transportation charge; 30 years imprisonment for each child pornography production charge; 20 years imprisonment for receipt of child pornography; 10 years imprisonment for possession of child pornography; and 10 years imprisonment for each felon in possession of a firearm charge.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Border Patrol, Presidio Police Department, Presidio County Sheriff's Office, and the Presidio County juvenile probation office also assisted with the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Monty Kimball is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

This investigation was part of Operation Predator, a nationwide HSI initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders and child sex traffickers. HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE, or by completing its online tip form. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.