Local Man who Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conversations on Social Media Admits to Receiving Child Pornography

McALLEN, Texas – A 61-year-old man has been convicted of one count of receipt of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Dennis Ray Frank, of Edcouch, admitted he engaged in inappropriate conversations with a minor female and received a sexually graphic image via email.

On Feb. 7, 2013, FBI agents received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that indicated a young female, approximately 13 years of age, could be a potential victim of sexual exploitation. Law enforcement soon uncovered the fact that Frank had engaged the minor female child in sexually explicit conversations on Facebook. Upon further investigation, it was determined that Frank had enticed the minor female child to send sexually graphic images of her genitalia to him via email. 

Law enforcement executed a search warrant on Frank’s email account, at which time they discovered the image that depicted the minor child’s genitalia. Frank admitted to receiving the child pornography image via his email account on Nov. 5, 2012. He further admitted he had been engaging in those inappropriate conversations and that the young girl had sent him the image.

U.S. District Judge Randy Crane accepted the guilty plea and set sentencing for Feb. 9, 2016. At that time, Frank faces a minimum of five and up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine. He will remain in custody pending that hearing.

The charges are the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.

This case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Benavides and Kimberly Ann Leo, 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."