SIOUX CITY — An illegal immigrant living in Northern Iowa has been sentenced to federal prison after admitting he possessed child pornography, including material involving prepubescent minors and sexual abuse of children.
Jesus Aranda-Martinez, 25, a citizen of Mexico who had been living in Rock Valley, Iowa, was sentenced in federal court in Sioux City after pleading guilty on February 6, 2026, to one count of possession of child pornography.
Federal prosecutors said Aranda-Martinez is now pending removal from the United States after he completes his prison sentence.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Aranda-Martinez to 108 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal prison system.
Aranda-Martinez was also ordered to pay $3,100 in fees and assessments. He remains in the custody of the United States Marshal until he is transported to a federal prison.
According to evidence presented during plea and sentencing hearings, Aranda-Martinez received, distributed and possessed child pornography from April 2024 through July 2025.
Prosecutors said Aranda-Martinez admitted using multiple chat applications and acknowledged an interest in girls who were middle-school age or younger. He also admitted receiving child sexual abuse material online, including depictions of children being sexually abused by adults.
A forensic review of Aranda-Martinez’s phone showed he distributed child pornography in online “send to receive” groups, according to federal authorities.
Investigators found he possessed at least 62 images and 42 videos of child pornography. Prosecutors said the material included sadistic or masochistic conduct involving prepubescent minors.
The case was investigated by the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office and the Rock Valley Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit prosecuted the case.
Federal authorities said the prosecution was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
The case was also part of Operation Take Back America, a national Justice Department initiative focused on illegal immigration, cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and violent crime.
Aranda-Martinez’s conviction adds to the growing list of federal child exploitation cases prosecuted in Iowa as law enforcement agencies continue to target online child sexual abuse material, digital predators and those who trade abusive images and videos through encrypted or private online platforms.