HSI San Juan Arrests 3 Men on Child Exploitation Charges

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – In three separate cases, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents with the support of the Puerto Rico Department of Justice and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau arrested three men charged with production of child pornography, transportation of minors to engage in sexual criminal acts, coercion and enticement of minors and possession of child pornography, respectively.

According to court documents, from on or about July 2021 through on or about May 9, 2022, Fredis Cruz-Bonilla, 41, of San Juan, did knowingly persuade, induce, and coerce a female minor who had not attained the age of 18 years to engage in sexual activity for which a defendant could be charged with a criminal offense under the laws of the Unites States of America and Puerto Rico. Cruz-Bonilla was also charged with possession of child pornography.

In an unrelated case, HSI special agents arrested Luis E. Ojeda-Peña, 37, of San Juan. According to the indictment, from on or about July 9, 2022, through on or about August 2, 2022, Ojeda-Peña did knowingly persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a nine-year-old minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such conduct.

In another case, HSI special agents arrested religious leader José Bermudez-Soler, 42, of Adjuntas. According to the indictment, from in or about June 2021 to in or about January 2022, the defendant persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced a 14-year-old female minor to engage in sexual activity for which Defendant could be charged with a criminal offense. The indictment indicates that in July 2021, the defendant transported the female minor with the intent that the minor engage in sexual activity. The indictment also charges Bermudez-Soler with attempted production of child pornography.

Assistant United States Attorney Daynelle Álvarez, from the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit, is prosecuting these cases.

“The sexual abuse of children is intolerable in civilized society, and victimizes the most innocent and vulnerable members of our community,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “We are committed to bringing the defendants in these cases to justice and protecting every child. I would like to thank the agents and state and local partners who are relentless in their pursuit of child predators.”

“HSI San Juan’s priority is to protect our children from sexual predators,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Rebecca C. González Ramos “We will continue working with our federal, state, and local partners to identify, arrest and prosecute those who in the cruelest manner steal the innocence of our children.”

HSI is the principal investigative arm of DHS and a vital U.S. asset in combatting transnational crimes and threats. One of HSI’s top priorities is to protect the public from crimes of victimization, and HSI’s child exploitation investigations program is a central component of this mission. HSI is recognized as a global leader in this investigative discipline, and is committed to utilizing its vast authorities, international footprint and strong government and non-government partnerships to identify and rescue child victims, identify and apprehend offenders, prevent transnational child sexual abuse and help make the internet a safer place for children.

For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from online sexual abuse, visit https://www.ice.gov/topics/iGuardians.

If convicted, defendant Cruz-Bonilla faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison; Ojeda-Peña faces a mandatory minimum 15 years and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison; and Bermudez-Soler faces a mandatory minimum 10 years to life in prison. Defendants convicted of these crimes also face, after serving their term of imprisonment, an additional mandatory supervised release term of 5 years up to life and would be required to register in the Sexual Offender Registry. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Department of Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the cases.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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