Victoria man sentenced for receiving sexually-explicit images of young children

CORPUS CHRISTI -- A 40-year-old Texan has been ordered to federal prison following receipt of more than 5,000 images of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Paul Thomas Rosales pleaded guilty Sept. 8, 2020, to receipt of child pornography.

Today, U.S. District Judge David S. Morales ordered Rosales to serve a 176-month sentence. At the hearing, the court also heard about the 5,84 confirmed images on his digital devices which included child victims approximately 2-3 years old and younger. One involved an infant child. Rosales also had admitted he possessed approximately 50,000 child pornographic images, many involving children between 5-16 years of age.

In handing down the sentence, the court noted the need for punishment. Rosales will also serve 15 years on supervised release during which time the court can impose a number of special conditions designed to protect children and prohibit the use of the internet. He is also required to register as a sex offender.

“Today we are reminded of how heinous crimes against children are, as some of Rosales' youngest victims were infants,” said Special Agent in Charge Perrye K. Turner of FBI. “The FBI will continue to work tirelessly to protect children from sexual exploitation and bring these reprehensible predators to justice.”

Authorities had linked Rosales to explicit materials found on a peer-to-peer network. The area task force investigation soon led them to his residence in Victoria.

They conducted a search and seized numerous digital devices. Forensic analysis ultimately revealed over 5,000 images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, some of which included children under the age of 5.

At the time of his plea, Rosales admitted to receiving the pornographic images.

Previously released on bond, he was taken into custody following the sentencing today where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The FBI – Corpus Christi Resident Agency and Victoria Police Department conducted the investigation along with the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Reid Manning prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.