CONCORD, N.H. — A Mexican national who unlawfully crossed into New Hampshire from Canada was arrested by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England and U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) on a complaint charging federal child sexual abuse material offenses.
Jose Rodriguez-Garcia, 26, was charged with one count of transporting child sexual abuse material and one count of possessing child sexual abuse material.
According to the charging documents, on June 6, Rodriguez-Garcia and another man were observed by USBP agents after having apparently recently crossed from Canada into New Hampshire over Hall Stream in Pittsburg. The men were detained and brought to the Beecher Falls Border Station for processing. At that point, a search of Rodriguez-Garcia’s person and property yielded several electronic media, including a thumb drive on which depictions of apparent child sexual abuse material were found.
A conviction of transporting child sexual abuse material comes with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison. Both charges provide a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and mandatory restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. sentencing guidelines and statutes that govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The investigation was led by HSI New England’s Manchester Resident Agent in Charge office and USBP’s Beecher Falls Station.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
HSI is a global leader in the fight against child exploitation. Last year, HSI special agents dedicated 1.2 million case hours toward investigating child exploitation. This heinous crime harms the most vulnerable in our society: our kids. As technology evolves and more people have access to the internet, children are at a greater risk than ever. HSI’s special agents and analysts around the world are dedicated to countering this threat.
Report suspected child exploitation to the HSI tip line at 877-4-HSI-TIP or through the CyberTipline on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children's website.
About HSI
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel and finance move. HSI’s workforce consists of over 10,000 employees, assigned to 235 offices within the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI's international presence represents the Department of Homeland Security’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.