Danbury Man Charged with Child Exploitation Offenses

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Robert Fuller, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Danbury Police Chief Patrick Ridenhour today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment yesterday charging ENRIQUE PAULO PUCHA-JIMENEZ, 33, of Danbury, with child exploitation offenses.

As alleged in the indictment, on multiple occasions between February 2020 and August 2023, Pucha-Jimenez sexually abused a girl (“the victim”) who was between the approximate ages of nine and 12.  He also used his cell phone to take photographs and videos of his sexual abuse of the victim.

On August 16, 2023, Danbury Police arrested Pucha-Jimenez on state sexual assault and risk of injury offenses.  He has been detained since his arrest, and his state charges are pending. 

The indictment charges Pucha-Jimenez with production of child pornography, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and with possession of child pornography, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

U.S. Attorney Avery stressed that an indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Danbury Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings with the assistance of the Office of the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Danbury.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.