Brayan Garcia-Vazquez, age 25, of Haverlock, North Carolina, was sentenced on April 1 to 180 months in prison for the production of child pornography, according to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
The case underscores ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address crimes involving child sexual exploitation. According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, a minor victim disclosed during a forensic interview that there was a video of her having sex with Garcia-Vazquez and that he knew she was only 12 years old at the time. The minor victim said she had met Garcia-Vazquez on Instagram about a year before these events.
Garcia-Vazquez reportedly visited the minor victim’s home on two occasions for sexual intercourse. On his second visit, he brought her a gold bracelet and recorded their encounter. He later shared this video with the minor victim. The crime came to light when the girl’s mother found the video and contacted law enforcement authorities. Forensic analysis of the phone helped identify Garcia-Vazquez as the perpetrator by matching him with images from the video.
Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion imposed the sentence. Following completion of his prison term, Garcia-Vazquez faces deportation.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted an investigation into this case while Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera prosecuted it in court.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide.
