A judge in the 13th District Judicial Court has sentenced Anthony Maestas to 30.5 years in prison for child abuse and possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). This sentence is the maximum allowed under his plea agreement. In January, Maestas pleaded guilty to charges including two counts of child abuse, manufacturing visual medium of sexual exploitation of children, possession of visual medium of sexual exploitation involving a child under 13, and voyeurism with a victim under 18.
Attorney General Raúl Torrez commented on the case, stating, "Protecting children from exploitation is one of the most important responsibilities we have in this state." He credited the expertise and persistence of his team for removing Maestas from the community. Torrez added, "These cases are a reminder of how critical this work is, and I’m grateful to the Court and our prosecutors and investigators for ensuring this individual is now behind bars."
The New Mexico Department of Justice's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit initiated the investigation after receiving a cyber tip that led them to an IP address connected to Maestas. A search warrant was executed, resulting in his arrest when agents found a significant amount of CSAM on his electronic devices. The investigation also uncovered that Maestas had sexually abused at least two children—a family member and a neighbor—when he was a juvenile.
After completing his prison term, Maestas will be required to serve a parole term ranging from 5 to 20 years. The investigation was part of the NMDOJ’s ICAC Division's efforts to locate and capture internet child sexual predators in New Mexico. The division collaborates with 86 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and is funded by an NMDOJ-administered grant.
Authorities encourage anyone with information about suspected child predators or abuse to contact law enforcement.
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