Ex-police officer from Deming admits guilt in child sexual abuse investigation
A 35-year-old former Deming Police Department officer, Jesus Lopez Jr., has pleaded guilty in a federal case involving child exploitation charges. This case is part of the Department of Justice's (DOJ) initiative, Operation Restore Justice, which aims to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators.
Lopez Jr.'s guilty plea stems from allegations of illegal sexual conduct with a minor that occurred between March and November 2024. The U.S. Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood, a program that works with federal, state, and local partners to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse, is involved in such operations.
The federal charges against Lopez Jr. arose from evidence that he recorded himself engaging in sex with the child on several occasions and received more than 10 photos and videos from her mobile phone. According to court filings, the girl was 16 years old at the beginning of the relationship.
The federal case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with the New Mexico State Police. The details of Lopez Jr.’s case and Project Safe Childhood’s direct role beyond the child exploitation charges were not specified in the search results. However, the case is part of DOJ’s larger coordinated efforts targeting child predators through Project Safe Childhood.
In a separate development, an email related to a newsletter subscription service was sent to an individual. The email contained a subject line related to the Albuquerque Journal Daily News Headlines and did not contain any advertisements. The link to confirm list signup was included in the email, and the email address used for list signup processing was our website.
However, there was an error processing the request for list signup, and the recipient was not given an opportunity to manage their lists. Prosecutors in New Mexico's 6th Judicial District dropped their case due to the federal prosecution, and Lopez faces the prospect of five to 15 years in prison, a minimum of five years of supervised release, and registration as a sexual offender at a future sentencing hearing.
The DOJ's Operation Restore Justice and Project Safe Childhood continue to be instrumental in the fight against child sexual exploitation and abuse, ensuring the safety and protection of children across the United States.
- The Department of Justice's (DOJ) Operation Restore Justice has been successful in identifying, tracking, and arresting child sex predators, as demonstrated by the case of Jesus Lopez Jr., a former police officer who pleaded guilty to child exploitation charges.
- Beyond child exploitation cases, the DOJ's Project Safe Childhood works with federal, state, and local partners to combat various aspects of child sexual exploitation and abuse, aiming to protect children's health-and-wellness and overall safety.
- In a separate news, an email related to the Albuquerque Journal Daily News Headlines was sent to an individual, highlighting the importance of general-news updates and maintaining awareness of ongoing issues, such as those involving crime-and-justice and sexual-health matters.
