Modesto Man Sentenced to 15 Years and Eight Months in Prison for Receipt of Child Pornography

FRESNO, CA—Eric Paul Vallejos, 38, of Modesto, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill to 15 years and eight months in prison for receipt of child pornography, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.

On October 3, 2012, after a two-day trial, a jury found Vallejos guilty. Upon completing his prison sentence, Vallejos will be required to serve a term of supervised release of 15 years during which his access to minors, the Internet, and computers will be restricted. He also will be required to register as a sex offender.

Evidence introduced at trial showed that in September and October 2010, Vallejos made dozens of child pornography files available for sharing through a peer-to-peer file sharing program. Law enforcement officers detected many of these files, served a search warrant at his residence, and seized a computer. At the time it was seized, the computer was in the process of downloading numerous images, including several that depicted the sexual abuse of prepubescent minors.

This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Ceres Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Gappa and Special Assistant United States Attorney Megan Richards 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.