Willie Gonzales, a 46-year-old Amarillo resident, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for producing child pornography, according to an announcement on Friday by Leigha Simonton, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.
Gonzales, who posed as a 14-year-old boy online to exploit a young child sexually, will also face a lifetime of supervised release following his prison term, according to a press release from the United States Attorney’s Office Northern District of Texas.
Gonzales, indicted in December 2023, entered a guilty plea in April 2024 to charges of child pornography production. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk on August 9.
The case began in the fall of 2022 when a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children led Homeland Security Investigations and the Texas Department of Public Safety to execute a search warrant at Gonzales’ home. Investigators discovered an iPhone containing explicit images of a 10-year-old girl. A forensic analysis revealed that Gonzales, posing as an underage child himself, had persuaded the child to send him sexually explicit photos and videos.
At the sentencing, Judge Kacsmaryk highlighted that Gonzales had used Snapchat to masquerade as a 14-year-old to deceive and manipulate his victim. Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Frausto, who prosecuted the case, noted the importance of holding offenders accountable and ensuring the protection of vulnerable children, especially against online predators.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation, which led to Gonzales’ arrest and indictment.
The United States Attorney’s Office Northern District of Texas did not respond to a request for comment on Gonzales’ case.
Readers can utilize the resources found on the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children website if they suspect a child may be endangered or if they wish to report information on the safety and welfare of a child in their area.