Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Pornography Charges

ALBUQUERQUE—Joshua Iben, 21, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, pleaded guilty this morning to federal child pornography charges. The guilty plea was entered without the benefit of a plea agreement.

Iben was arrested on November 21, 2013, based on an FBI investigation that began in July 2013 and revealed that an IP address subscribed to Iben’s residential address was being used to share child pornography images. According to the criminal complaint, on November 20, 2013, FBI agents executed a federal search warrant at Iben’s residence and seized computers and computer-related media. While the search warrant was being executed, Iben participated in a voluntary, recorded interview during which he admitted began sharing child pornography images years ago and last received or sent such images by e-mail the week before. A subsequent forensic examination of a laptop computer taken from Iben’s residence revealed that it contains images consistent with child pornography.

On December 17, 2013, Iben was indicted and charged with two counts of receipt of child pornography; two counts of distribution of child pornography; and one count of possession of child pornography. The indictment alleged that Iben received child pornography on two occasions on April 29, 2013, and distributed child pornography on two occasions on Setember 20, 2013. It also alleged that Iben possessed child pornography on November 20, 2013, and that Iben committed all five offenses in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.

Today Iben entered guilty pleas to all five counts of the indictment.

Iben has been in federal custody since his arrest and remains detained pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled. At sentencing, Iben faces a federal prison term of not less than five years and not more than 20 years. Iben also will be required to register as a sex offender.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque Field Office of the FBI and the New Mexico Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa A. Lizarraga as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc/.