Former Truck Driver Sentenced to More Than 15 Years for Using Internet to Exchange Child Pornography

Former Truck Driver Sentenced to More Than 15 Years for Using Internet to Exchange Child Pornography

Topics: Seferino Saldivar

Former Truck Driver Sentenced to More Than 15 Years for Using Internet to Exchange Child Pornography

U.S. Attorney’s Office
Western District of Tennessee
15 September 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jackson, TN – A former truck driver has been sentenced to 190 months in federal prison for using an Internet messaging app to distribute and receive child pornography. Edward L. Stanton III, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.

According to information presented in court, Seferino Saldivar, 42, of McKenzie, Tennessee, used Kik, an Internet messaging app, to moderate a chat room where sexually explicit images of female minors were shared. Saldivar also used social networking service Mocospace to find individuals with similar interests and motivate them to join the Kik chat room.

In June 2015, an undercover officer in Arizona using Kik entered the aforementioned chat room and observed several users exchange child pornography. Law enforcement submitted an administrative subpoena to Kik for the Internet Protocol (IP) address being used by one of the user’s in the chat room. They were notified that the user used a Samsung Galaxy phone to access the Internet through IP 70.194.100.255. The email address listed for the user was also provided to law enforcement.

After linking Saldivar to the particular user name, agents obtained his McKenzie, Tennessee address. A search warrant was subsequently executed on his residence. Saldivar admitted to law enforcement that he used Kik and moderated the chat room being investigated.

A forensic examination of Saldivar’s phone revealed approximately 50 images of child pornography and Kik chat messages.

Saldivar was employed as a truck driver during his criminal activity.

In May 2016, Saldivar pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly distributing child pornography before Chief U.S. District Judge J. Daniel Breen.

On Tuesday, September 14, Judge Breen sentenced Saldivar to 190 months in federal prison.

This case was investigated by the Memphis Child Exploitation Task Force. The collective is comprised of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations; Shelby County Sheriff's Department; Memphis Police Department; U.S. Postal Investigation Service; U.S. Marshals Service; and the U.S. Secret Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Ireland prosecuted this case on the government’s behalf.

Anyone who believes they may have information about similar cases or related activities is asked to contact the Memphis Child Exploitation Task Force at 901.747.4300.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), 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 United States Attorneys' Offices and the

Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about PSC, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/resources.html and click on the tab "resources."