Multiple Offenders Sentenced for Child Pornography Offenses

Gregory J. Fouratt, United States Attorney, announced today that two separate New Mexico residents were sentenced to prison as a result of child pornography investigations by the local Federal Bureau of Investigation. On Wednesday, March 3, 2010, Forrest Montera, 27, an Albuquerque Air Force man, was sentenced in Federal District Court to 37 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography. On Wednesday, March 16, 2010, Robert Leon Coker, 62, a Belen businessman, was sentenced in Federal District Court to 46 months in prison, followed by six years of supervised release and a $7,500 fine for possession of child pornography. Both men must also register as sex offenders pursuant to law.

According to court records, Coker’s conviction stems from the execution of the search warrant at his Belen residence in August 2006 based upon a report to the FBI from Coker’s relative that she had seen child pornography images on his computer. FBI agents seized computers and computer-related media and found hundreds of images of child pornography depicting young children engaged in sexual acts with adults. Coker told FBI agents he started downloading these child pornography images two years prior.

According to court records, Montera’s convictions stems from an encounter with FBI agents at his Albuquerque residence in May 2007. FBI agents were aware that Montera, while stationed on a military duty in Germany, was contacted by foreign police about his visits to illegal pornography websites, however no illegal evidence was located. FBI agents found child pornography images on Montera’s computers at his residence during their encounter. Montera admitted that he viewed child pornography from the Internet at least once a month upon his return from Germany.

Federal prosecution of online exploitation of children cases like Coker and Montera are part of the Project Safe Childhood Initiative. In 2006, Department of Justice launched Project Safe Childhood to combat the increase of sexual predators using the Internet to entice and sexually exploit children. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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 further information, please see www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Federal partners like the United States Attorney’s Office and Federal Bureau of Investigation also work in conjunction with local Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces. There are 61 Internet Crimes Against Children Task Forces across the United States, which includes the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children Task force hosted by the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office.

Anyone with information related to suspected child predators and suspected child abuse is encouraged to contact federal or local law enforcement. Keeping children safe from sexual predators requires community awareness and assistance.