'Wicked' Texas couple filmed themselves sexually abusing kids; 25 known victims, prosecutors say
A Texas U.S. Attorney’s Office labeled a husband and wife "two of the most wicked criminals in Texas history” on Wednesday while announcing that both were sentenced to 60 years in prison for the sexual exploitation of children and the production of child pornography.
Christopher Almaguer and Sarah Rashelle Almaguer each pleaded guilty in October to one count of both the charges, but prosecutors say there were more than two dozen victims, including babies.
By pleading guilty, the Almaguers — both 27 — admitted to uploading sexually explicit videos of themselves assaulting children as young as eight months old, the Western District of Texas U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a release. A federal judge in Waco gave the couple the maximum prison sentences.
“The Almaguers were serial child abusers. They abused 25 children that we know about— children from the neighborhood, children from church, children they babysat," a release quotes U.S. Attorney John F. Bash.
"The youngest victim was an infant. And the nature of the abuse was unimaginable. They also made videos of the children’s torture and shared them.”
Prosecutors say the investigation began in February 2018 after Facebook provided a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. That tip said a user was suspected of uploading child pornography, a release says.
Christopher Almaguer's brother, Paul Perez Jr., was also sentenced to 20 years in prison. He pleaded pleading guilty to two counts of receiving child pornography.
The judge also ordered the couple to pay $10,000 each to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Fund, a release says.
Contributing: The Associated Press
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Wicked' Texas couple filmed themselves sexually abusing kids; 25 known victims, prosecutors say
