A Donna, Texas man has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison after being convicted of receiving child pornography. Miguel Angel Del Valle, 23, pleaded guilty earlier this year and was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane.
Judge Crane described the offense as one of the most serious federal crimes and told Del Valle that demand for such material leads to its production and the victimization of children. After his release from prison, Del Valle will be subject to five years of supervised release with restrictions on his access to children and the internet. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
The case began in July 2022 when authorities discovered that Del Valle had uploaded child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from his Google account. The material included images and videos depicting minors between eight and twelve years old engaged in sexual activity with adults or other minors.
Del Valle admitted to downloading and distributing hundreds of files containing CSAM over an 18-month period using platforms such as Google, WhatsApp, and Telegram. A forensic examination found 124 videos and 31 images on his devices, including a video showing an adult male abusing a toddler.
“There is no place in our community for people like Mr. Del Valle,” said U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. “This conviction and sentence is the latest example of how the Southern District of Texas will do whatever it takes to protect children and hold offenders accountable.”
Del Valle remains in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Secret Service, while Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC). PSC is a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation by coordinating efforts among federal, state, and local agencies to prosecute offenders and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at DOJ’s PSC page (https://www.justice.gov/psc), along with resources on internet safety education.
