Former Law Enforcement Officer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of Child Pornography

In Austin today, a former Galveston Police officer and former security officer with the Texas Attorney General’s Office was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography announced Acting United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs, San Antonio Division.

In addition to the prison term, United States District Judge Sam Sparks, ordered that 60-year-old Jose Luis Gardea be placed on supervised release for a period of ten years after completing his prison term and to register as a sex offender.

On March 3, 2015, Gardea pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.  By pleading guilty, Gardea admitted he possessed child pornography on a USB thumb drive, and through an email account.  According to court documents, Gardea uploaded child pornography images using Tumblr, an online social media provider.  A search of Gardea’s work space at the Texas Attorney General’s Office uncovered a USB thumb drive which had 178 images of females under the age of 18, many of whom were depicted in sexually suggestive and lascivious poses.

“The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to work with local, state, and federal agencies to prosecute predators who victimize children by creating, possessing, and distributing child pornography.  Children are some of our most vulnerable victims.  Today’s sentence ensures that Mr. Gardea has been punished and will not pose a threat to children for some time to come,” announced Acting United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr.

This investigation was conducted by the FBI together with the Texas Attorney General’s Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Devlin prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.

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