Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Thursday, December 12, 2024 75° Today's Paper


Top News

Man, 31, indicted for producing child pornography and cyberstalking minors in Hawaii, other states

A man charged by a federal grand jury for allegedly cyberstalking minor girls in Hawaii, Texas, Oklahoma, California and Missouri to produce and distribute child pornography was sent back to Missouri for further prosecution, a U.S. Magistrate Judge ordered this morning.

Gerardo Javier Montes, 31, was arrested in Honolulu by agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation on July 29.

A federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Missouri returned an indictment July 27 charging Montes with with distribution of child pornography, attempted production of child pornography, and cyberstalking.

Montes faces a mandatory minimum term of 15 years in prison if convicted of producing child pornography; a mandatory term of of five years if convicted of distributing child pornography; and enhanced penalties on the cyberstalking charge because the victim is a minor, according to a motion to detain filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle T. Bateman, from the eastern district of Missouri.

Montes has an “extensive history involving the sexual exploitation of minor females,” Bateman wrote.

The victims were listed by initials and include a 13-year-old victim identified as P.R. in Hawaii, 14-year-old F.W. in Missouri, 17-year-old J.K. in Oklahoma, 16-year-old K.F. in Texas, and a 26-year old, S.N., in California. Montes allegedly had a relationship with S.N. when she was 15 and he was 20, according to federal court documents.

Federal agents and police also alleged that Montes was “communicating with other, as yet identified, minor females.”

“Several of these communications can be traced to the defendant visiting online messaging boards for depression and suicide,” wrote Bateman. “In other communications, the defendant pretended to be a young girl to encourage minor females to send sexually explicit images and videos.”

By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the Terms of Service. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our guidelines. Having trouble with comments? Learn more here.