San Antonio man sentenced for posing as child, possessing child pornography

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — A 35-year-old man who reportedly pretended to be a child to befriend a 10-year-old in order to sexually exploit her has been sentenced to two decades in federal prison.

Officials said Enrique Roman Martinez became friends online with the 10-year-old who lived in another state in addition to posing as a police officer in order to manipulate and coerce the child to create and send Martinez sexually explicit photos.

“Child predators will go to extraordinary lengths to exploit and manipulate our children,” said U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff. “They belong behind bars, and we will continue to work to put them there.”

He was arrested and has been in federal custody since July 2, 2018 following an investigation by the FBI. He pled guilty to one count of possession of child pornography in April.

“The FBI is committed to protecting children, as they the most vulnerable members of our society,” said Special Agent Christopher Combs, FBI San Antonio Division. “Those who would harm them will face serious consequences and will be held accountable for their actions.”