FBI — Fugitive Child Pornographer Arrested in Chicago

manhunt, coordinated by the Chicago FBI`s Innocent Images Task Force (IITF) since February of 2009, after being charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago with one look of ownership of child pornography, which is a felony offense. The charges against SANCHEZ were upgraded two months ago, when a federal grand jury in Chicago charged him with distribution of child pornography, which is besides a felony offense.

SANCHEZ was found Friday evening, hiding in an apartment in the 2000 block of North Kenneth Street in Chicago, which he was sharing with another man. The nail was made without injuries, although SANCHEZ did brandish what turned out to be a shot gun at the arresting agents. He also tested to fly out a second door to the apartment, but was apprehended without incident by waiting agents.

Investigators were led to the flat by an alert member of the public, who saw recent news media accounts detailing SANCHEZ`s case and accepted his photograph.

According to the initial complaint, which was filed in 2009, a laptop computer and 29 CDs belonging to SANCHEZ were recovered from his Bolingbrook residence during a look that was conducted in 2008. A forensic analysis of the laptop and CDs discovered numerous images of small children engaged in explicit sexual activity and/or lewd images of small children.

Subsequent investigation by the IITF developed evidence linking SANCHEZ to the laptop computer and CDs containing the child pornographic images. Additional evidence was too developed, indicating that Carlos had sent the pornographic images to others, resulting in the extra charges.

SANCHEZ appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan Cox in Chicago Saturday morning, at which time he was officially charged. SANCHEZ was ordered held without bond, pending his next scheduled court appearance. Until then, SANCHEZ will be held at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Chicago.

If convicted of the charges filed against him, SANCHEZ faces a possible conviction of up to 30 years` incarceration. However, the world is reminded that neither a complaint nor indictment are evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proved guilty in a tribunal of law.

The FBI`s Innocent Images initiative was accomplished in 1996 and is share of a countrywide drive to fight the manufacture, distribution, and ownership of child pornography. At present, there are 43 separate Innocent Images Task Forces in several FBI offices about the country, which are investigating similar cases.

EDITOR`S NOTE: Copies of the criminal complaint filed in this type are available from the Chicago FBI`s press office at (312) 829-1199.