Colorado Man Sentenced To 60 Years For Recording Himself Sexually Abuse A Child In Guatemala

A man from Englewood, Colorado, was sentenced Monday to 60 years in prison after he was found to have sexually abused a young child in Guatemala and video recorded the act, authorities said.

A federal jury on November 18, 2020, convicted 64-year-old Alvaro Castillo of three counts of production of child pornography, one count of attempted production of child pornography, one count of transportation of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a statement released Monday.

According to the DOJ, law enforcement agents searched Castillo's vehicle in October 2019 as he was driving at the U.S. - Mexico border and discovered evidence of child pornography.

Citing trial evidence, the DOJ said Castillo traveled to his native country of Guatemala and video recorded himself sexually abusing a 13-year-old victim who was sleeping. Evidence from the video identified Castillo as the abuser, the DOJ said.

"Alvaro Castillo recorded himself committing unspeakable crimes against a defenseless child in a foreign country,” Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicholas L. McQuaid of the DOJ's Criminal Division said.

"The department is committed to identifying and prosecuting transnational offenders like Alvaro Castillo, and today’s sentence will protect children in Guatemala and the United States from such predatory behavior," McQuaid continued.

According to the DOJ, Castillo also possessed and transported additional images of child sexual abuse.

Castillo was ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release and pay $33,586,89 in restitution.

Special Agent in Charge Erik P. Breitzke of Homeland Security Investigations, said, "Child victimization is a crime that knows no borders and HSI, as a global investigative agency, is committed to working with its domestic and international partners to stop these criminals from exploiting innocent children anywhere in the world."

"We may not be able to undo the damage done, but sentences such as today’s serve to hold child predators accountable and, we hope, help the victims heal," he said.