Texas man gets 60 years for sexual exploitation of children
The Brief
Christopher Castano of Universal City has been sentenced to 720 months in federal prison.
He was arrested in August 2022 after his employer turned him in to the FBI.
Investigators found multiple child sexual abuse video and images of two minor children produced by Castano between 2015 and 2018.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - A San Antonio-area man will spend the next six decades in prison for sexual exploitation of children, says the US Attorney's Office.
What we know
44-year-old Christopher Lee Castano of Universal City has been sentenced to 720 months in federal prison for three charges related to sexual exploitation of children.
He will also have to pay restitution to two child victims in the amount of $50,000 each and another $5,000 each to five additional victims.
The backstory
According to court documents, Castano accessed and transferred child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to and from external devices using his employer's computer system while at a facility in San Antonio.
In August 2022, Castano's employer contacted the FBI after they discovered he had files with names associated with CSAM. The files had been on four removable devices since January 2022 and another employee had seen Castano connect those devices to their employer's computers.
A federal search warrant led to the search of Castano's work area and his devices, and an investigation revealed CSAM was produced by Castano between 2015 and 2018 when the female child victim in the images was between 11 and 14 years old.
FBI personnel also located multiple images and videos depicting another girl produced around 2016 when that victim was between the ages of five and 26 months old.
A graphic CSAM video of Castano's was produced using his cell phone in 2018, depicting the second victim when she was just over two years old.
Castano has remained in federal custody since his arrest on Aug. 10, 2022. He was indicted on 13 counts on Sept. 7, 2022 and pleaded guilty to three in Oct. 2023.
What they're saying
"Unless he lives well into his hundreds, this child predator is rightfully going to serve what is essentially a life sentence for the heinous crimes he has committed against at least half a dozen children," said Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas. "I thank Castano's employer for reporting his actions to our partners at the FBI, who helped us achieve this just sentence. While this does not erase what the child victims endured, we hope that they find some solace in the fact that Castano is no longer a threat to anyone."
"Castano heinously abused some of the most vulnerable among us. This sentence properly reflects the seriousness of his crimes and will hopefully provide some semblance of justice for his victims. The FBI is committed to protecting our children and relentlessly pursuing those who would cause them harm," said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp for the FBI's San Antonio Field Office. "We want to thank the U.S. Attorney's Office for their partnership and dedication to this important mission."
The Source
Information in this report comes from a March 28 release from the US Attorney's Office's Western District.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
LAPD: Over 100 arrests Monday night, 2 officers injured
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said over 100 people were arrested Monday night amid recent Los Angeles-area protests against arrests made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In a Tuesday press release, the department said that it, alongside 'multiple local law enforcement partners, responded to protest and criminal activity in the downtown area' Monday. The LAPD said 96 people were arrested over 'Failure to Disperse,' one person was arrested over 'Assault with a Deadly Weapon,' one person was arrested over 'Resisting Arrest' and another over 'Vandalism' that night. 'Two LAPD officers were injured and transported to a local hospital for medical treatment and released,' the LAPD said in the release, adding later that 14 people were arrested over 'Looting.' California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) recently claimed that President Trump's deployment of troops to Los Angeles amid ongoing protests against Trump administration immigration raids was a warning to other states. 'Pod Save America' host Tommy Vietor asked the Golden State governor what his message was to people in all the other U.S. states who believe, 'Eh, this is just Trump going after crazy California, where all the liberals are like, we'll be fine.' 'To preview things to come. It's a coming attraction,' Newsom said Monday on 'Pod Save America.' 'I mean you, I'm sure you guys have been saying it. This is what he did to create the conditions that led to the insurrection on January 6th.' Trump and Newsom have been going at it over unrest in Los Angeles in recent days. On Monday, Trump said he would support arresting the Golden State governor, Newsom responded to on X. 'The President of the United States just called for the arrest of a sitting Governor. This is a day I hoped I would never see in America,' Newsom said on X.
Fox News
2 hours ago
- Fox News
FBI director Kash Patel hails record drug bust; drugs seized could have killed nearly 50 million
FBI director Kash Patel praised his agents as well as those from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for taking down a major drug operation in Atlanta, resulting in the removal of 33 firearms and over 252 kilograms of drugs valued at over $9 million, from the streets. The FBI, alongside the DEA and state and local authorities executed three search warrants last Thursday, resulting in the arrest of 47-year-old Bartholomew Keeton Harralson. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Harralson with three drug trafficking and weapon possession crimes related to the drug trafficking operation. U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg said Harralson is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. If convicted, he faces at least 40 years in prison and the possibility of life behind bars. "I'm proud of the outstanding work by our agents and grateful for the strong partnership of the DEA in this joint effort," Patel said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "This was a major takedown – dozens of weapons, large quantities of fentanyl and meth, and key members of a sophisticated drug network taken off the streets. Together, we've dealt a serious blow to those profiting off addiction and reaffirmed our unwavering commitment to protecting American communities." FBI Special Agent In Charge Paul Brown said the FBI and DEA executed search warrants at three locations – one in Atlanta, one in South Fulton, and another in Douglas County. On June 5, law enforcement executed a federal search warrant at Harralson's Atlanta-area residence, and once inside, they located over 56 kilograms of fentanyl, 84 kilograms of methamphetamine, nearly 10 kilograms of heroin, and about four kilograms of cocaine, all in the form of powders and hundreds of thousands of pressed pills. Law enforcement also found nine firearms at the residence, including one that was converted to operate as a machine gun, $145,000 in cash, and a book titled, "How to Avoid Federal Drug Conspiracy & Firearms Charges." The Department of Justice said Harralson was arrested at the scene. A second search warrant was executed at Harralson's Douglasville residence, where law enforcement allegedly found two large pill press machines capable of pressing up to 25,000 pills per hour, and three hydraulic presses used to form kilogram-sized bricks of narcotics. The search also resulted in the discovery of over 37 kilograms of fentanyl, about 13 kilograms of methamphetamine, over eight kilograms of heroin and more than six kilograms of cocaine. The drugs, the DOJ alleged, were in the form of powder and hundreds of thousands of pressed pills. Additionally, law enforcement searched a machine shop behind Harralson's Douglasville residence and allegedly found about 1,375 pounds of binding agent used to press pills, 564 punch dies to mark the pills, 19 firearms, four drum-style magazines and a significant amount of ammunition. Brown told reporters that two ballistic style vests were allegedly found in one of the residences "Right now, we have an American dying every seven minutes from drug overdoses, and homicides occur twice each hour," Brown said. "Our new FBI director, Kash Patel, has given our workforce a simple mandate, crush violent crime, and this is a big step toward that end in metro Atlanta. This major operation is shut down, and it's just one example of the work the FBI and DEA agents continue to do each and every day." DEA Atlanta Acting Special Agent in Charge Jae E. Chung told reporters the operation resulted in the largest fentanyl seizure to date in the state of Georgia. The 97 kilograms of fentanyl that was seized has the potential to kill about 48 million Americans, Chung said "The DEA and our partners are working hard day in and day out to protect their communities from the dangers and violence associated with drug trafficking," he said. "DEA's priorities are to save American lives and to keep our communities safe. We will continue to leverage every partnership, every resource available to ensure the drug dealers who distribute poison, like fentanyl and other illicit drugs through our communities are brought to justice." The FBI and DEA conducted the take-down as part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that streamlines efforts and resources within the Department of Homeland Security to not just crack down on illegal immigration but also achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the "perpetrators of violent crimes." Chung told reporters the large quantities of drugs discovered in the bust showed they were being provided by cartels in Mexico.
Chicago Tribune
2 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
Elgin man convicted of sexually assaulting, murdering his niece being released from prison Thursday
Former Elgin resident Edward A. Milka is to be released from state prison Thursday after serving half of his 55-year sentence for the 1997 sexual assault and murder of his 11-year-old niece Brittany Martinez. Originally sentenced to 75 years after being convicted by a jury in 2000, 49-year-old Milka's term was reduced by 25 years as a result of the Illinois Supreme Court overturning the prison term in 2004 because Milka was not eligible for enhanced sentencing. Former FBI agent Beth Mullarkey, who worked on the case and helped the Elgin Police Department with the investigation, said the system can be unfair sometimes and that certainly is the case for Milka, who's being paroled from Hill Correctional Center in Galesburg. '(People) don't always get the sentence they deserve,' Mullarkey said. 'He should've done the whole time.' Milka grew up in Elgin, and it's not known whether he still has family in the city. It's not known where he will go once released. Wendi Howlett, Milka's sister and Brittany's mother, did not respond to requests for comment. She has consistently maintained her brother's innocence in the case. Brittany disappeared on May 8, 1997, the day Howlett took her and some friends to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. The family returned home for dinner, and then Brittany said she was going to Wing Park with her friends. When Brittany's stepfather, came home, he said her friends were outside but Brittany wasn't with them, according to reports. They said Brittany rode her bike to her aunt's house, but when Wendi Howlett checked with the aunt, she learned Brittany wasn't there. The family started searching for her because it was unusual for the girl to not contact her mom or be out alone, Wendi Howlett said when interviewed for in an episode of the TV show 'The FBI Files.' Howlett reported her missing that night. As Elgin police started talking to family, friends and neighbors about the missing girl, they interviewed Milka. He told them he'd seen Brittany about 6 that night when he went to his sister's house, where Brittany had been visiting, to give his sister a ride to work. Police and volunteers combed the park and neighborhood looking for the 11-year-old without success. Her bike was later found in the basement of the family's apartment building. Mullarkey got involved in the case when the Elgin police asked the FBI for help. The McHenry County sheriff's office was also involved in the investigation. 'I lived that case every day for several months,' said Mullarkey, who worked for the FBI for 29 years until her retirement in 2016. 'It was an unbelievable experience for me. Milka was one of the last people who saw her alive. According to the TV show, he was defensive when police asked him to come to the station for an interview. He told authorities that he talked to Brittany briefly oustide before going to work, where he remained until about 9 p.m. He joined in the search and at one point stopped to buy cigarettes first, reports said. But Milka's alibi didn't check out — he never went to work nor did he stop at a gas station for cigarettes, officials said. One of his sisters gave police background on him, including that he had a low IQ, had few friends and never had a girlfriend, according to the TV episode. Later, Milka voluntarily contacted Elgin police to tell them about a 'vision' he had in which Brittany was near Elgin, cold and wet but not breathing, according to police. He said he saw her in an old car with two men near a farmhouse and that the men touched her all over. Brittany's body was found nine days after her disappearance in a branch of the Kishwaukee River in McHenry County, about 18 miles from Elgin. Milka's family had visited the area when he was a child, and the surroundings were similar to what Milka described in his vision. When he went on trial in McHenry County in 2000, his lawyers said there was no physical evidence linking Milka to the murder and described him as a 'moron' who couldn't have committed a murder, Mullarkey said. 'Nice try, but it doesn't take a genius to kill someone,' she said. 'Simple people can do horrible things,' she said. Prosecutors said Milka helped Brittany put her bike away in the basement, sexually assaulted her and killed her in the process. A jury convicted him of the crimes, but Wendi Howlett and other family members continued to defend Milka. 'I not only lost my daughter, I am now losing my brother to something I know he didn't do,' Wendi Howlett said on the TV show. 'I was more stunned and in shock … this can't be happening. This nightmare has to end somewhere.'
