8-15-2024 2:01am

An Las Cruces Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Distributing Child Pornography

Chris Edwards Editor

According to court documents obtained by ABC-7, detectives with the El Paso Police Department found more than 2,000 child pornography files on a phone belonging to Yamil Pillado, most of them videos. Pillado is Ryan Gallardo's cousin, according to investigators and court records. Court documents state Pillado told investigators that Ryan Gallardo sent him links to most of that child pornography.

Investigators say they obtained Whatsapp conversation between the cousins in which they allegedly discuss the fact that the people shown in the videos are children.

In those same conversations, Gallardo allegedly admitted to his cousin that he'd had sex with a family member. Court documents state that family member had previously reported Gallardo had molested them since they were four years old. Gallardo also claimed to have video of himself having sex with that family member as reported by KVIA.

Pillado was just sentenced to 17 years in federal prison without the possibility of parole per KVIA.

Gallardo was sentenced to 20 years in prison for conspiring with his cousin to distribute child pornography, following an extensive investigation that uncovered thousands of explicit images and videos of minors according to a DOJ Release.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court document, between April 18, 2022, and April 24, 2023, Ryan Gallardo, 24, conspired with his cousin, Yamil Pillado, to send and receive videos depicting child pornography using various online platforms and cloud storage services. The two men exchanged thousands of files containing sexually explicit images and videos of minors, including content involving bestiality and sadomasochism.

In addition to trading child pornography, Gallardo and Pillado discussed prior sexual abuse of children and plans to sexually abuse and record minors that Gallardo had access to through relationships with others.

Pillado pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and receive child pornography and was sentenced to more than 17 years in prison. Upon his release from prison, Pillado will be subject to 20 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.

Upon his release from prison, Gallardo will be subject to 25 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.

U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Jason T. Stevens, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations - El Paso, made the announcement on Wednesday.