In Texas, any kind of child pornography charges can mean long periods of incarceration for defendants.
Over the summer a Laredo gynecologist was arrested on suspicion of possession of child pornography, according to a criminal complaint.
The complaint obtained by the Laredo Morning Times claimed Dr. Antonio Salinas allegedly confessed to investigators he had downloaded illicit material onto his computer.
The 63-year-old doctor is said to have told police a USB drive containing child pornography which was discovered by employees at a local car dealership, belonged to him.
In June, Salinas was served with a warrant charging him with possession of child pornography. He was released on bond later in the day.
Laredo doctor faces child pornography charges
A Laredo police officer reportedly responded to the car dealership after an employee said he was servicing a pickup when he found what he thought was child pornography in a USB drive in the truck. The workers said they used a laptop to check the USB drive because it appeared that the truck’s USB port was not working properly.
Court documents said the pictures depicted young girls aged between 11 and 14 in provocative poses, search warrants stated.
The case was taken over by Laredo Police Department’s special investigations unit. Media reports said an assistant district attorney suggested securing a search warrant for the seized USB device and the laptop belonging to the employee at the car dealership.
A search warrant was executed on June 15. Evidence was submitted to the investigations unit at the Department of Homeland Security.
Investigators executed search warrants at the doctor’s workplace and his place f residence reports stated.
Child Pornography Charges Are Sought by Federal Prosecutors
The Federal authorities have been devoting a massive amount of enforcement resources to prosecuting child pornography cases in recent years.
These offenses attract plenty of publicity and big sentences. If you have been charged with a crime of this nature, it’s imperative to hire an experienced criminal defense lawyer in Laredo, Austin, San Antonio or elsewhere in Texas. Sex offenders typically lose their reputation and often family ties as well as their liberty. Contact us here.