UTRGV student admits to downloading child pornography via Kik

McALLEN, Texas – A 21-year-old Los Fresnos resident has pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Israel Flores Jr. admitted to possessing child pornography on a flash drive he obtained while a student at University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley.

He had downloaded the child pornography via Kik and placed that material on a flash drive for easier distribution. He then gave this device to another individual. Flores acknowledged being the original owner of the flash drive and that it had been in his possession for a number of years prior to giving it to someone else.  

U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo accepted the plea and set sentencing for June 21. At that time, Flores faces up to 20 years in federal prison. 

Flores has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.

Homeland Security Investigations - Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Task Force conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliza Carmen Rodriguez 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.