On April 12, 2023, U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced Sergio BonillaHenriquez, 24, of Quincy, Washington, to 144 months in federal prison for Receipt of ChildPornography. Defendant pleaded guilty on January 11, 2023. Judge Rice also orderedHenriquez to pay $48,000 in restitution to his victims and be federally supervised for life afterHenriquez is released from prison.

According to court documents and proceedings, Henriquez was identified as a child exploitationsuspect after he used various names to engage in several online chat groups dedicated to thetrading of child pornography. Within the chat groups, Henriquez distributed and received childpornography files depicting minors of all ages and engaged in explicit discussions detailing hissexual interest in minors and encouraging the sex abuse of minors by others. After a federalsearch warrant was executed at Henriquez’s residence, forensic review of his phone revealedmore than 26,000 images and videos of child pornography.

Court documents further reveal that, after being granted pretrial release from custody, Henriquezuploaded child pornography to outgoing communications in Snapchat, which led to the executionof another federal search warrant at Henriquez’s residence. Investigators found minors living inthe residence and Henriquez in possession of firearms, which were violations of his releaseconditions. They also discovered additional evidence of child pornography on Defendant’selectronic devices.

“The significant sentence imposed in this case recognizes the ongoing and lasting harm causedby child exploitation. It also sends a strong message to Mr. Henriquez and others who use whatthey believe to be online anonymity to exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said United StatesAttorney Vanessa R. Waldref. “I commend the collaborative, hand-in-glove investigation andprosecution of this case by the child exploitation agents at Homeland Security Investigations andAUSA Ann Wick, who is one of the most experienced and thoughtful child exploitationprosecutors in the District.”

“Child predators like Mr. Henriquez cannot be allowed to engage in these kinds of depraved acts,whether in person or online,” said Steven Schrank, Deputy Special Agent in Charge of HSIoperations in the Pacific Northwest. “Child exploitation cases can be among the most heart-wrenchingin all of law enforcement, but this investigation shows our commitment to findingjustice for underage victims and their families.” 

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the GrantCounty Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted by Ann T. Wick, Assistant United States Attorney forthe Eastern District of Washington.

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