KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kearney, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court on Friday to producing and possessing child pornography.
Austin D. Hurtado, 19, of Kearney, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Fernando J. Gaitan to the charges contained in a June 27, 2012 federal indictment.
According to the plea agreement, an FBI agent identified Hurtado’s computer (at his former residence in Smithville, Mo.) as sharing child pornography over the Internet. Using a peer-to-peer file-sharing program, the agent downloaded images of child pornography from Hurtado’s computer on Nov. 21 and 22, 2011.
Hurtado’s two laptop computers were seized by law enforcement officers and a forensic examiner found they contained numerous videos of an 8-year-old child in the shower. Authorities say Hurtado’s face was visible in at least one of those videos. The forensic examiner also found the same child victim in additional numerous photos and videos of child pornography.
In total, authorities say Hurtado possessed 191 child pornography videos and more than 80 images of child pornography.
Hurtado is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 40 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $500,000.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Hurtado must pay a total of $10,000 in restitution to two of the victims portrayed in those images and movies, or $6,000 if he pays the restitution within 30 days of his sentencing date. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. It was investigated by the FBI.
-News Release-
