LAREDO, Texas - A 26-year-old Laredo resident has pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
The investigation began when authorities learned an IP address associated with Aaron Negrete had uploaded child pornography online.
On Oct. 12, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at his home. At that time, they found and seized several electronic devices which contained child pornography and took Negrete into custody.
He ultimately admitted to downloading an application he used to search for child pornography such as baby and toddler abuse. He also sexually abused a minor relative. He recorded himself doing so and shared the recordings and photographs online.
The investigation revealed the minor visited Negrete and stayed at his residence in Laredo. The victim claimed that on more than 50 instances Negrete forced him to rub his genitals and took naked pictures of him, among other things. The minor was told to keep it a secret to prevent “something bad" from happening.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Negrete faces a mandatory minimum of 15 and up to 30 years in federal prison.
Negrete has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Laredo Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Makens is prosecuting 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 link on that page.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys