Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO – Today, U.S. District Judge Aida Delgado-Colón sentenced Mario Torres-Rodríguez to a term of 168 months (14 years) in prison and 10 years of supervised release for transportation of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. The defendant plead guilty on August 30, 2021.

From on or about July 2017 through January 2018, the defendant paid a 15-year-old minor female to engage in illegal sexual activity with him.  The illegal activity included sex acts as well as production of child pornography.  During this same period of time, from approximately June 2017 through December 2017, the defendant would pick the minor up from school or from her parents’ business and then transport her in his car to secluded locations and engage in sexual activity.  Defendant Torres-Rodríguez bought the minor an iPhone so they could communicate via internet instant messaging apps. Torres- Rodríguez was approximately 63 years old at the time, and knew the minor’s family well.  

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was in charge of the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Cristina Caraballo, Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Cannon, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ginette Milanes prosecuted the case.

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