SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Miguel Angel Morales, 32, of Valley Springs, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to 15 years and 8 months in prison for receipt of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
According to court documents, between August 16, 2013, and September 30, 2013, Morales used a smart phone application to induce and entice a 15-year-old girl to produce pornographic photos and videos of herself and to send those images to Morales. During chats with the minor victim, Morales discussed her age and the fact that he would face serious trouble if their activities were discovered. According to court documents, at the time of the offense, Morales had a prior conviction from 2010 for unlawful sex with a minor. After serving his prison term, Morales will serve 10 years of supervised release.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 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 U.S. 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.