Woodland Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Production of Child Pornography

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Raul Gonzalez, 43, of Woodland, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. to 30 years in prison for production of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, this case originated from a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children concerning an email address that was linked to an online photo-sharing site featuring images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The email address was registered to Gonzalez, and a search of his home uncovered a cellphone containing multiple images of child pornography.

Officers discovered that two of the minor victims portrayed in those images had been exploited and photographed by Gonzalez himself, and that one of the victims was his prepubescent relative. According to court documents, on October 13, 2013, Gonzalez caused his minor relative to engage in sexually explicit conduct, which he recorded with his cellphone camera. Gonzalez also sexually abused another minor who was less than 14 years old.

Gonzalez was convicted in Yolo Superior Court (case 14-3642) for the abuse of the two minors and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Judge England ordered that the sentence in this case be served concurrently with the 30‑year sentence imposed in Yolo County Superior Court case, and that the sentence be served in federal prison. Gonzalez pleaded guilty to the federal charge on June 1, 2017.

U.S. Attorney Talbert stated: “Today’s long sentence underscores the egregious nature of the defendant’s crime. Gonzalez preyed on and exploited two very young children, and compounded that abuse by recording it. My office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to prosecute and incapacitate those who exploit the most vulnerable members of our society.”

Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan of the Sacramento Field Office stated: “The production of child pornography is an assault against the most vulnerable members of our society. While Gonzales will serve a 30-year sentence for his crimes, his victims may suffer the effects of this crime for a lifetime. The FBI is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to identify and apprehend those who prey upon our nation's children.”

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento Valley Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a federally and state‑funded task force managed by the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department with agents from federal, state, and local agencies. The Sacramento ICAC investigates online child exploitation crimes, including child pornography, enticement, and sex trafficking. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew G. Morris prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet safety education.