Patient in Sexual Predator Unit Charged with Producing Child Pornography

WICHITA, KS—A registered sex offender has been charged with producing child pornography while he was committed to a sexual predator unit at Larned State Hospital, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

Christopher M. Case, 33, has been charged with two counts of producing child pornography and two counts of sending obscene material to a child. The indictment makes the following allegabutions:

• From December 1, 2011 to December 28, 2011, Case enticed a 15-year-old child to engage in a sexual act for the purpose of making a video to be transmitted on the Internet.
• From December 24, 2011 to January 23, 2012, Case enticed a 13-year-old child to engage in a sexual act for the purpose of making a video to be transmitted on the Internet.
• On December 29, 2011, Case sent a video of himself masturbating to the 13-year-old victim.
• On December 31, 2011, Case sent a video of himself masturbating to the 13-year-old victim.

At the time of the crimes, Case was a registered sex offender. He was convicted in Saline County, Kansas, in May 2003 on a charge of attempted aggravated indecent solicitation of a child.

If convicted on the federal charges, he faces a penalty of not less than 25 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each of the charges of producing child pornography; and a penalty of not less than 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each of the charges of sending obscene material to a child. The Wichita Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Kansas Attorney General’s Office investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart and Steve Karrer of the Kansas Attorney General’s Office are prosecuting.

Other Indictments

Rigoberto Avalos-Mendez, 26, Kennewick, Washington, is charged with possession with intent to distribute approximately three kilograms of cocaine. The crime is alleged to have occurred May 31, 2013, in Thomas County, Kansas.

If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 40 years in federal prison and a fine up to $2 million. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jacobs is prosecuting.

Vicente Trevino-Hernandez, 46, a citizen of Mexico, is charged unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found June 6, 2013, in Arkansas City, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000. ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

Jonathan Valdez, 25, Garden City, Kansas, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. The crimes are alleged to have occurred March 16, 2013, in Finney County, Kansas.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million on the drug charge; and a penalty of not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the firearm charge. The Finney County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jacobs is prosecuting.

Gerald Beasley, 58, Andover, Kansas, is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred June 12, 2013, in Wichita, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Agencies taking part in the investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Wichita Police Department, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, the Internal Revenue Service Task Force and the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Barnett is prosecuting.

Noel Soto-Arrieta, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with three counts of counterfeiting false documents, five counts of aggravated identity theft, two counts of counterfeiting a Social Security card, and one count of unlawful re-entry after deportation. He was found June 6, 2012, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000 on each count of counterfeiting false documents; a mandatory two years to be served consecutively to other sentences and a fine up to $250,000 on each count of aggravated identity theft; a maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count of counterfeiting a Social Security number; and a maximum penalty of two years and a fine up to $250,000 on the re-entry charge. ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

Raymond Hernandez-Cordova, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of possession of false documents, four counts of aggravated identity theft; one count of making a false statement on an I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification form; one count of misusing a Social Security number; one count of producing a false document; and one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found June 10, 2013, in Wichita, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of possessing false documents; a mandatory two years to run consecutively to other sentences on other counts and a fine up to $250,000 on each count of aggravated identity theft; a maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the count of making a false statement on an I-9 form and the same penalty on the count of misusing a Social Security number; a maximum penalty of 15 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of producing false identification documents; and a maximum penalty of two years and a fine up to $250,000 on the re-entry charge. The Kansas Department of Revenue investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

Josephina Barrasa-Chairez, 39, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with possessing false documents. The crime is alleged to have occurred June 11, 2013, in Lyon County, Kan.

If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting. The Social Security Administration—OIG investigated.

Lester Ray Nichols, 72, Leavenworth, Kansas, is charged with failing to register as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. The crime is alleged to have occurred Nov. 9, 2012.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.

Juan Carlos Frayre, 25, Wichita, Kansas, is charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances, two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm after being convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, two counts of unlawful possession of ammunition by a user of controlled substances, two counts of unlawful possession of ammunition after being convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in April and May 2013, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each of eight counts; and a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million on each of two counts. The Wichita Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst is prosecuting.

Steven J. Denson, 27, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. The crime is alleged to have occurred Feb. 27, 2013, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting.

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.