CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — A 29-year-old resident of Beeville has been sentenced to federal prison for producing and possessing child pornography, US attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani announced on October 24.
Pasquale Salas who is a former deputy with Matagorda County Sheriff’s Office was ordered to serve 360 months and 24 months for the production and possession convictions.
Officials say he was previously sentenced to 220 months in prison in a related case in the district of Massachusetts. The term imposed on Oct. 24 here in Texas will run concurrently with that sentence for a total federal prison term of 384 months.
According to court documents, Salas met a 12-year-old Massachusetts girl online while playing Minecraft as well as another minor. Salas developed a manipulative and sexually exploitative relationship with the 12-year-old victim over the years despite knowing the victim's real age.
Salas had the victim send hundreds of nude photos and videos of herself, required her to follow specific strict rules, and made her wear clothing he approved of. Salas also tracked the victim's location and threatened her family if she ever left him.
“Salas used Minecraft, a child’s game, to lure some of his victims inside his vicious web,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
“Not only did he exploit young girls, but he also violated the public trust. He was a law enforcement officer who was sworn to protect and serve. Instead, he chose to manipulate and exploit young girls for his own deviant sexual gratification. The sentence handed down will make sure he can’t access the places our children play online or have contact with them in person for decades to come," added Hamdani.
In July 2019, detectives executed a search warrant in the Southern District of Texas as part of the Massachusetts investigation. Investigators found incriminating evidence on Salas' phone, including child pornography of several minor females, including that of a minor female relative.
"Forensic analysis revealed he produced those images of the relative. She identified herself and the hands of Salas in the images/videos. In one video, he appears to be fondling the victim. She is asleep in all of the images and videos he produced," said officials.
Pasquale Salas has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
