Illegal Immigrant from Honduras Charged with Child Pornography in Virginia

An illegal immigrant from Honduras, Gherson Gonzales Hernandez, has been charged with multiple counts related to child pornography and filming minors in Virginia. The 24-year-old faces 10 counts related to child pornography material and two counts of unlawful creation of a videographic or still image of a minor, as reported by FOX 5 DC.

Arrest and Immigration Status

Hernandez was arrested on February 9, and it has been confirmed by Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C. spokesman James Covington that he is a Honduran national and "unlawfully present" in the U.S.

Following his arrest, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and ERO authorities have lodged a detainer request for Hernandez with the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, where he is currently being held. The detainer requests local authorities to notify ICE agencies to hold specific inmates for up to 48 hours beyond their jail time to allow immigration authorities to take them into custody to begin deportation proceedings.

Charges and Offenses

The charges against Hernandez include 10 counts related to child pornography material and two counts of unlawful creation of a videographic or still image of a minor. The unlawful filming charge is related to an alleged offense in August 2019, while the others are connected to a November 2023 offense.

Impact of Sanctuary City Policies

ICE has highlighted that the lack of cooperation from many jurisdictions, due to sanctuary city policies that prohibit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, results in local law enforcement agencies releasing illegal immigrants back into society. This lack of cooperation poses challenges for immigration enforcement and public safety.