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Press Release

Albuquerque Man Arraigned on Federal Distribution of Child Pornography Charge

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE – Ruben Nieto, 45, of Albuquerque, N.M., was arraigned this morning on an indictment charging him with distribution of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit activity.  The indictment alleges that Nieto distributed child pornography in Bernalillo County, N.M., from March 24, 2014 through March 27, 2014.  Nieto entered a not guilty plea during his arraignment hearing.

Nieto was arrested by the FBI on Nov. 13, 2014, based on a criminal complaint, and was indicted on Dec. 3, 2014.  Court filings reflect that the FBI initiated a federal investigation into Nieto in May 2014, after receiving a referral from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office and the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office, both of which are members of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.  According to the criminal complaint, in Jan. 2014, investigators identified an IP address that allegedly was being used to download and share child pornography.  Subsequent investigation revealed that the IP address was subscribed to the residence in which Nieto allegedly had lived until April 2014.  In May 2014, investigators executed a search warrant at the residence and seized computers and computer-related media that allegedly contained child pornography after learning that Nieto regularly used the computer while he lived in the residence. 

Nieto remains detained pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled.  If convicted of the charge in the indictment, Nieto faces a federal prison term of not less than five years and not more than 20 years.  Nieto would also be required to register as a sex offender.  Charges in criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusations and criminal defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 
           
This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office and the New Mexico ICAC Task Force. 

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shammara H. Henderson 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.

The case also was brought as a part of the New Mexico ICAC Task Force’s mission, which is to locate, track, and capture Internet child sexual predators and Internet child pornographers in New Mexico.  There are 74 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies associated with the New Mexico ICAC Task Force, which is funded by a grant administered by the NMAGO.  Anyone with information relating to suspected child predators and suspected child abuse is encouraged to contact federal or local law enforcement.

Updated January 26, 2015