Security services report a major case in Alicante involving child exploitation material
A man detained in Elda faces a six-year prison term after pleading guilty at a hearing in the Alicante Court this Tuesday. National Police investigators found more than 36,000 photos and videos depicting pedophile content on his devices. The 66-year-old defendant is a repeat offender, having prior convictions for similar acts.
The material seized includes videos and photos in which minors, some very young, appeared to be engaged in sexual activities, according to the accusation presented by the prosecutor’s office.
Initially, the prosecutor requested an eight-year sentence for the crime of corruption of minors, asserting that the defendant stored and distributed a large volume of audiovisual files containing pedophile content. Following a joint agreement between the Public Ministry and the defendant’s counsel, and after the defendant pleaded guilty, the prosecutor reduced the requested sentence to six years.
The defendant arrived for the hearing at the Alicante Court. The information about the case was provided by the transactions processed by the Alicante National Police Technological Crimes Group. The man was arrested on October 3 after an investigation prompted by information received from a Police Station in Leon. In that same province, another pedophile was arrested; during a home search, files containing pedophile content were found. The examination of the seized materials revealed conversations between the arrested individual and the recipient in Elda, who is currently on trial.
These conversations showed that pedophile files had been sent, leading the Alicante National Police to identify the recipient and request, with court permission, to search his residence. Given the defendant’s prior criminal record for similar offenses, officers arrested him and seized two mobile phones. A preliminary analysis already indicated the presence of images and videos involving pedophilia.
The devices were handed over to police stations and, after a lawful data dump, it was confirmed that more than 35,000 photographs and more than a thousand videos of minors were stored on them.
A police officer involved in the operation stated that, although the defendant did not file a formal complaint during the hearing, there were folders on the messaging platform that indicated policy violations by the defendant, revealing the presence of thousands of files containing pedophilia content.
The defendant has been in prison since his arrest in October. Judicial records show two prior sentences of one and two years, respectively, suspended on the condition that he refrains from new crimes. According to court sources, at least in one of those convictions, the suspension could be revoked, requiring him to serve the sentence in prison.
Another case in the corruption trial involving minors
Alongside the case that went to trial on Tuesday, a second defendant from Alicante is scheduled to face trial on Thursday for alleged corruption of minors related to storing and sharing pedophile-type audiovisual material at home. The prosecutor’s office initially seeks a seven-year term, noting that the Alicante National Police seized a mobile phone, a computer, and a large amount of material during a home search on March 16, 2023. Six hard drives containing pornographic files were found, showing that the material had been shared with minors, including very young children, through various applications.
Sources indicate that this ongoing prosecution highlights broader concerns about the distribution of inappropriate content involving minors and the responsibilities of individuals who store and disseminate such material. The case underscores how law enforcement tracks digital evidence across devices, networks, and conversations to establish links between suspects and the stored content.
Authorities emphasize the ongoing nature of investigations into online exploitation and the need for continuous vigilance and collaboration among police units, prosecutors, and judicial authorities to address these offenses and protect vulnerable individuals. This report relies on official statements and the ongoing judicial process, with attribution to the investigating agencies and court records. [Cite: Alicante Court records and National Police press releases]