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April 5, 2007
ICE arrests Puerto Rican for possession of child pornography
Arrest part of ICE's national initiative Operation Predator
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - A 35-year-old man was arrested here yesterday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents following a federal grand jury indictment charging him with possession of child pornography.
ICE special agents executed a search warrant at Candido Salva Morales' business on March 29, 2007. The search resulted in the seizure of several computer disks and other electronic storage media devices. A subsequent forensic analysis of the seized material revealed more than 200 videos and images containing explicit images of child pornography.
"Unfortunately, the advent of new technologies like the Internet has increased the accessibility of child pornography. But this has only intensified our resolve to pursue those who victimize the most vulnerable among us," said Manuel Oyola Torres, special agent in charge of the ICE Office of Investigations in Puerto Rico. The statutory punishment for possession of child pornography is not less than five years and not more than 20 years and $250,000 fine.
Salva-Morales' arrest is part of Operation Predator, a comprehensive ICE initiative aimed at those who prey on children, including human traffickers, international sex tourists, Internet pornographers, and foreign national predators whose crimes make them deportable. Since the initiative was launched in July 2003, there have been more than 9,700 individuals arrested nationwide.
Additional information about Operation Predator is available on the Web at www.ice.gov. ICE encourages the reporting of suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. This hotline is 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, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.
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