LAREDO, Texas — A South Texas man was sentenced for receipt and possession of child pornography, some of which depicted sexual abuse of babies and toddlers, following an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Laredo Police Department as part of the Child Exploitation Task Force, which also includes the FBI, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the U.S. Marshals Service and the United Independent School District Police Department.
David de los Santos, 33, was sentenced Aug. 30 by U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana to serve a 20-year prison term, the maximum allowed under the statute. At the hearing, the court also heard that some of the images de los Santos possessed were of a two-year-old relative. The court enhanced the sentence to the maximum possible term, noting the graphic images of the relative. The court also noted the severity of de los Santos’ crimes. He was further ordered to pay $84,304 in restitution to known victims and will serve five years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. De los Santos pleaded guilty March 3, 2022.
“This lengthy two-decade prison sentence reflects the horrific damage caused and furthered by this defendant’s actions,” said HSI San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “The HSI Laredo Child Exploitation Task Force and its partners stand at the forefront of child exploitation investigations as they dedicate countless hours to ensure predators face serious consequences for these heinous crimes.”
According to court documents, the investigation began when authorities discovered an IP address associated with de los Santos had uploaded child sexual abuse material online. On July 1, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his home. At that time, they found and seized several electronic devices that contained child sexual abuse material and took de los Santos into custody. He was ultimately found to be in possession of 1,038 images and 393 videos of child sexual abuse, which included abuse of babies and toddlers. The investigation also determined de los Santos was in possession of child sexual abuse images of a minor relative sometimes in his care.
De los Santos remains in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
“A parent’s worst nightmare is to discover someone you trusted with your family, such as a relative, was actually preying on your child’s innocence,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. “De los Santos made that nightmare a terrifying reality, but thankfully he is now off the streets and out of our community, allowing for the possibility that his victims can start to heal.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Michael Makens prosecuted the case.
HSI takes a victim-centered approach to child exploitation investigations by working to identify, rescue and stabilize victims. HSI works in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Internet Crimes Against Children partners, and other federal, state and local agencies to help solve cases and rescue sexually exploited children. You can report suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s toll-free, 24-hour hotline at 800-THE-LOST.
HSI is a founding member 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.
One of HSI’s top priorities is to protect the public from crimes of victimization, and HSI’s child exploitation investigations program is a central component of this mission set. Further, HSI is recognized as a global leader in this investigative discipline. The directorate is committed to utilizing its vast authorities, international footprint and strong government and nongovernment partnerships to identify and rescue child victims; identify and apprehend offenders; prevent transnational child sexual abuse; and help make the internet a safer place for children.