West Texas man pleads guilty to transporting prepubescent child pornography

LUBBOCK, Texas — A West Texas man pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of transporting child pornography, announced John R. Parker, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Texas Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and the San Angelo (Texas) Police Department are investigating this case.

Justin Benedict Morales, 40, of San Angelo, who remains in custody, faces a statutory penalty of not less than five years nor more than 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date was not set.

According to plea documents filed in the case, in November 2014, Morales used the Internet to send at least eight images of prepubescent child pornography via the online instant messaging client, Yahoo Messenger. Morales used several Yahoo IDs to transport and trade images and videos of child pornography. His laptop computer and hard disk drive were seized when HSI special agents executed a search warrant at his residence in May.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Sucsy, the Northern District of Texas, is in charge of the prosecution.

This investigation was conducted under HSI's Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 12,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2014, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.

HSI is a founding member and current chair 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.