UTICA, NEW YORK – David Rivera-Mejia, age 33, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced today to serve 78 months (6.5 years) in federal prison for possessing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Carla B. Freedman; Chief Border Patrol Agent Robert N. Garcia, United States Border Patrol, Swanton Sector; and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Rivera-Mejia admitted that he is a citizen of Honduras, and on March 24, 2021, he illegally entered the United States from Canada by walking across the international border near Mooers, New York. United States Border Patrol apprehended Rivera-Mejia and seized his cell phone. Rivera-Mejia’s phone contained approximately 38 videos and 12 images depicting child pornography.
United States District Judge David N. Hurd also imposed a 5-year term of supervised release, which will start when Rivera-Mejia is released from prison, and ordered him to pay a $100 special assessment and restitution to victims in the amount of $6,000. Rivera-Mejia will also be required to register as a sex offender. Upon his release from prison, Rivera-Mejia may be removed/deported from the United States.
Border Patrol and HSI investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carling Dunham and Tamara Thomson prosecuted the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/.