AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton recently commended investigators from the Sextortion Unit in the Criminal Investigations Unit of his office for the arrest of Felipe Jesus Duron, 21, of Atascosa on federal charges of Production of Child Pornography, Coercion and Enticement of a Minor, Receipt of Child Pornography and Possession of Child Pornography.
On October 15, 2019, the Sextortion Unit, with the assistance of the attorney general’s Child Exploitation Unit and FBI San Antonio Child Exploitation Task Force, arrested Duron after a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) CyberTipline report revealed a 14-year-old female being coerced to send nude images to Duron via a social media account. The investigation revealed that Duron requested and received nude images of the underage victim then threatened public exposure of these images if additional nude images were not sent. Duron also used this tactic to force the young victim into online sexual acts with other males while he recorded the activities. This case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, Western District of Texas.
“Dangerous predators can infiltrate any home through computers, tablets, or phones. Unfortunately, criminals lurking online often target our most vulnerable citizens and seek to exploit children,” said Attorney General Paxton. “I am grateful for the work of our Sextortion Unit and the dedicated law enforcement officials they work with to bring criminals like this to justice.”
Attorney General Paxton’s office works to protect children by using the latest technology to track down some of the most profoundly evil predators online. This case marks the first arrest by a state grant-funded investigation position in the Texas Attorney General’s Office that focuses on sexual coercion.
Attorney General Paxton urges all parents and teachers to become aware of the risks children face on the internet and take steps to help ensure their safety. If you suspect someone is producing or downloading child pornography, you can report it to NCMEC.
For more information on cyber safety, please visit:
https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/initiatives/cyber-safety/.
