Reno, Nevada - Brandon Eric Navarrete, 27, of Reno, was arraigned in federal court today on an indictment charging him for allegedly unlawfully possessing, receiving, and distributing approximately 17,000 images and videos of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas A. Trutanich for the District of Nevada.
Navarrete was arrested Monday morning. He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carla L. Baldwin who scheduled a jury trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Miranda M. Du on July 14, 2020.
According to allegations presented in the indictment and during today’s court proceedings, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a CyberTip from SmugMug Inc. — a paid image sharing, image hosting service, and online video platform — regarding possible child pornography on its servers. On the basis of that tip, a search warrant was executed at Navarrete’s residence in Reno. A forensic analysis of the electronic devices that were seized revealed approximately 14,000 images of child pornography and approximately 300 video files depicting child pornography. The images and videos included children under 12 years old.
If convicted, Navarrete faces a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. In addition to imprisonment and fines, Navarrete also faces a period of supervised release following any term of imprisonment imposed, restitution, and monetary penalties. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only. If convicted of an offense, the sentencing of a defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is the product of a joint investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the FBI's Northern Nevada Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Task Force, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, the Sparks Police Department, the Reno Police Department, and the Nevada Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randolph St. Clair is prosecuting the case.
If you have information regarding possible child sexual exploitation, please make a report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling the 24-hour hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or by making a report at www.cybertipline.com.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, 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 U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
