Montgomery County man admits to producing child sexual abuse material

HOUSTON - A 34-year-old Willis resident has pleaded guilty to production and distribution of child pornography.

Authorities identified Jesse Thomas Raines in 2023 when investigating activity on social media.

As part of an undercover operation in June 2023, Raines communicated through an internet chat application. During the conversation, Raines distributed child sexual abuse material, also known as CSAM, and displayed his screenshot folder in an attempt to show he was not saving the chat.

Investigators identified information in several screenshots that revealed Raines's identity and where he lived. Based on the evidence, law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant at his Willis residence.

Raines admitted he had sexually abused a minor victim for years and produced videos and photographs documenting the abuse. Law enforcement also seized multiple electronic devices from the residence.

A forensic examination of an external drive revealed a folder bearing the victim's name that contained illicit files created between March 2019 and May 2023. Investigators also discovered additional CSAM on a laptop seized during the search.

"Raines is a deplorable, child-abusing monster, and now the justice system has rightly deemed him for what he is: guilty," said U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz. "The good news is that, now, there's one less sicko on the streets. The bad news is that there are many more out there. My office will hunt them down and keep our kids safe."

"This confessed child rapist callously sexually abused a 7-year-old family member and produced imagery of the abuse to share online, falsely believing that encrypted chats would shield him from getting caught," said Homeland Security Investigations Houston Special Agent in Charge Lucia Cabral-DeArmas. "Thanks to the ingenuity of our special agents and the unbelievable assistance that we receive from our partners at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, we were able to unmask Mr. Raines and remove him from the local community before he could harm anymore children."

U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge will impose sentencing Dec. 17. At that time, Raines faces up to 50 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation, with the assistance of Montgomery County Constable's Office, Precinct 1.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Bauman, Luis Batarse, and Colton Turner are prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ's PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.