News Releases and Statements

Initially begun as a pilot initiative in 2013, the Human Exploitation Rescue Operative, or HERO Corps, program has now trained more than 100 former U.S. military members in computer forensics and law enforcement support of online child sexual exploitation cases. In May 2015, the President signed the HERO Act into law, which formalized the program within ICE’s Cyber Crimes Center.

NCMEC honored HSI Special Agents Christopher Neville, Henry Cook and Eli Bupp for their race against the clock to stop the sexual abuse of five young girls who were being photographed and had their images posted online. The agents used advanced technology, extensive man hours, and clues found in the images of abuse to identify and locate the children hundreds of miles away. The children were rescued and the abuser arrested.

According to the plea agreement, on March 1, 2015, Thomas Samborski, II, 41, of Orange County, made sexually suggestive posts involving photographs of three minor children on a file sharing Internet site. 

Michael Bordman, 22, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was charged in an indictment unsealed Oct. 7 in U.S. District Court in Cedar Rapids.

James Dale Pressnall, 50, first came to the attention of HSI special agents between August and October 2015 when child pornography images were downloaded from a peer to peer network on a computer within his home.

Paul Charles Wilkins, 70, of Littleport in East Cambridgeshire, England, a dual U.S.-United Kingdom citizen, was charged earlier this year in a four-count indictment with traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct; attempted sex trafficking of children; transportation of child pornography; and possession of child pornography.

Michael V. Lucas, 31, of Springfield, Missouri, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury. This indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Lucas Sept. 21.

Jorge Trevino-Blanco, 27, from McAllen, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez who accepted the plea and set sentencing for Dec. 8. At that time, Trevino-Blanco faces a minimum of five and up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine.

Law enforcement learned that Jesus Villalobos, 31, from Corpus Christi, had been communicating via cellphone text messages and a social media application with an 11-year-old girl in February.

Rosa Linda Ganceres, 54, of Mathis, Texas, was sentenced to the maximum term of 360 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos. She was also sentenced to serve 10 years of supervised release, and must register as a sex offender. 

Don Francis, Jr., 46, of Metairie, previously admitted during his guilty plea in April 2016, that he transported child pornography. According to court documents, Feb. 5, 2014, HSI and state and local investigators executed a search warrant of Francis’ residence and discovered child pornography on a computer maintained and controlled by Francis.

Kevin Barry O’Connell was sentenced to five years in prison following his guilty plea to receiving child pornography at his residence in Patchogue, New York. O’Connell was also sentenced to five years supervised release to follow his prison sentence, during which time he must register as a sex offender and he will not be allowed unsupervised contact with minors.

A multi-agency law enforcement operation in Thurston County targeting individuals intending to sexually exploit children resulted in the arrest of 21 males and one female, and the rescue of four children at risk of being abused.

John Everett Kamph, 42, of Seattle, first caught the attention of law enforcement when his internet service provider and email were linked to the receipt of child sexual abuse images. Further investigation revealed that Kamph had produced a video using his dog to attract young children in what appears to be a Seattle park. 

William David Harden, 65, formerly of Tye, Texas, has been in custody since his arrest based on a federal indictment in August 2015.

Gary Jay Zimmerman, aka Gary Leslie Sumner, 43, of Oak Creek, is facing multiple charges, including sexual conduct with a minor, continuous sexual abuse of a child, child molestation and filming minors engaged in sexual conduct. Richard Byard Sumner, 41, of Long Beach, California, was arrested for possessing and creating child pornography.

James Russell Wilson, 32, of Tulsa, was indicted by a grand jury in April, and pleaded guilty June 14. Wilson was a teacher with Tulsa’s Union Public Schools.

Darion Veal, 21, of Gray, previously admitted during his guilty plea in December 2015, that he received and distributed child pornography. 

Christopher George White, 37, of McCormick, South Carolina, who is in custody, is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Jackson Dec. 14. 

Eric James Alvarez, 29, pleaded guilty in October 2015 to producing child pornography in conjunction with an HSI-led probe that began two years ago.

Damian N. Delacruz, 23, of Cadillac, Michigan, was charged Sept. 7 with three counts of sexually exploiting a minor and one count of enticing a minor.