A Mexican citizen has been sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for attempting to enter the United States with child pornography, according to U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Martin Alonso Diaz-Lopez, 42, pleaded guilty on July 9, 2024, to transporting child pornography.
U.S. District Judge John A. Kazen imposed the sentence on Diaz-Lopez after holding him accountable for possessing and sharing 66,489 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online and bringing them into the United States. Additionally, Diaz-Lopez was ordered to pay $44,148 in restitution to the victims depicted in the images he possessed. Following his imprisonment, as a non-U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings.
Diaz-Lopez will be required to comply with restrictions limiting his access to children and the internet and must register as a sex offender upon release. The court noted that many of the images involved very young children and toddlers being raped.
The investigation began when authorities identified Diaz-Lopez’s email among those sharing CSAM online from Tijuana, Mexico. He had applied for a visa in 2023 using this email address, prompting law enforcement to flag his name.
On March 22, 2024, Diaz-Lopez arrived at Laredo’s Lincoln-Juarez Port of Entry and was referred for secondary inspection due to an alert on his name. A search of his phones revealed approximately 20 CSAM images initially; further forensic examination uncovered a total of 1,484 files comprising videos and pictures.
Diaz-Lopez admitted starting viewing CSAM in Pennsylvania in 2022 before continuing upon returning to Mexico. He acknowledged participating in group chats on social media platforms where such material was exchanged.
“The defendant not only chose to break our country’s immigration laws but also decided to bring in thousands of images of children being sexually abused,” stated Ganjei. “Neither defendant nor his sick proclivities are welcome in America.”
Laredo Acting Deputy Special Agent Mauro Lopez from Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) commented: “Today’s sentencing shows that anyone trying to exploit and harm children will face serious consequences.”
Diaz-Lopez remains in custody pending transfer to the Federal Bureau of Prisons following an investigation by ICE-HSI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Makens prosecuted this case under Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation launched in May 2006.
