FBI Arrests Two Individuals in Two Child Exploitation Cases

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned two separate indictments charging two individuals for child exploitation.

According to court documents, Willie Torres-Gerena, 57, of Arecibo, PR, transported a 16-year-old female minor with the intent that the minor engaged in sexual activity.

In an unrelated case, FBI agents arrested Samuel Quiñones-Vargas, 55, of Camuy. According to the indictment, from on or about July 2023, through October 2023, Quiñones-Vargas possessed and transported child exploitation material, including child pornography of a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age, in a laptop and a tablet.

Willie Torres-Gerena is charged with transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. The defendant made his initial court appearance on before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marcos E. López of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years up to life in prison, followed by a supervised release term of five years up to life. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Samuel Quiñones-Vargas is charged with transportation and possession of child exploitation material. The defendant made his initial court appearance on before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marcos E. López of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan made the announcement.

The FBI is investigating the cases.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daynelle Álvarez-Lora and Emelina Agrait-Barreto from the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit are prosecuting the cases.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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 www.justice.gov/psc.

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

###