POCATELLO – Hector Aguayo, 31, of Pocatello, was sentenced to 530 months in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit announced today. Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye also sentenced Aguayo to 15 years of supervised release, which will commence upon completing his prison sentence. Aguayo also will be required to register as a sex offender. Aguayo pleaded guilty on May 4, 2023.
According to court records, law enforcement seized Aguayo’s iPad after a concerned citizen reported it contained child pornography. A search of the iPad identified 550 images and 198 videos of child pornography.
Upon reviewing the images and videos, law enforcement discovered that Aguayo had produced child pornography with a prepubescent handicapped child. Videos show Aguayo raping the child. He later distributed the videos of this child on an internet messaging application.
“This sentence shows our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society, our children,” said U.S. Attorney Hurwit. “Disabled children especially need our protection, and I am proud of our law enforcement partners whose tireless efforts led to a successful prosecution.”
“HSI special agents won’t ever relent when it comes to protecting children and arresting individuals who prey on our most vulnerable,” said Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in the Pacific Northwest. “Child sex abuse is one of the most serious crimes HSI investigates due to the lasting psychological and physical damage it can inflict on victims. We are proud to work closely with our law enforcement partners to make communities safer.”
U.S. Attorney Hurwit credited the cooperative efforts of Homeland Security Investigations in Idaho Falls, the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the Idaho Falls Police Department, the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pocatello Police Department, which led to the charges. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Shirts.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
