McALLEN, Texas — A South Texas man was sentenced to more than six years in prison for receipt of child pornography depicting prepubescent minors following an investigation conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Task Force.
Lazaro Segundo-Vazquez, 21, of Edinburg, was sentenced Oct. 21 by Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane to 78 months in federal prison. Crane also ordered Segundo-Vazquez to pay $3,000 in restitution to three victims and serve 10 years on supervised release following his prison term. During that time, he must comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Segundo-Vazquez will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
Segundo-Vazquez pleaded guilty May 15, 2023, admitting he received over 1,800 images and video files depicting child sexual abuse.
“Pedophiles exploit social media platforms, including messaging apps, to connect with others who share their criminal interests, thereby facilitating the trafficking of child sexual abuse materials,” said HSI Rio Grande Valley Deputy Special Agent in Charge Mark Lippa. “Holding these criminals accountable not only enhances the safety of our children but also sends a clear message that social media is not a safe haven for predators who share child pornography. HSI will persist in its efforts to aggressively prosecute child pornographers and ensure they are sent to federal prison, where they can no longer endanger our children.”
According to court documents, an alert from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children led authorities to a residence in Edinburg that appeared to be uploading child sexual abuse material to a Google account. The investigation revealed Segundo-Vazquez received images and videos containing child sexual abuse via a third-party messaging app on his cellphone. Segundo-Vazquez admitted to receiving child sexual abuse material that included videos and images of prepubescent children and toddlers. The material depicted children engaged in sexual acts with adults and other children. Segundo-Vazquez then uploaded several images of child sexual abuse to a Google account.
Segundo-Vazquez remains in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Cahal P. McColgan 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.