November 6, 2007

ICE arrests Puerto Rican man for possession and distribution of child porn

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - A 26-year-old man was arrested here yesterday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents for possession and distribution of child pornography. ICE special agents, acting on a referral from the ICE Cyber Crimes Center, arrested Josue Rivera-Roman, from Bayamon, Puerto Rico, after a forensic analysis of his previously seized electronic equipment revealed approximately 160 videos and more than 1200 images of child pornography.

"We will simply not tolerate crimes against our children and we will use all of our resources to identify and arrest those involved in these despicable crimes," said Roberto Escobar Vargas, acting special-agent-in-charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Puerto Rico. "ICE and the Department of Justice will continue working together to put those who victimize our children behind bars where they belong." Rivera-Roman is in U.S. Marshal's custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.

His arrest was part of a nationwide initiative known as Operation Predator. The initiative seeks to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel across continents to have sex with minors. Capturing Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders and child traffickers is a top priority for ICE. Since the initiative was launched in July of 2003, there have been more than 10,000 individuals arrested nationwide.

ICE encourages anyone who wants to report suspicious activity of suspected child predators or any other suspicious activity through our toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. Investigators staff this hotline around the clock.

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.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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