A Mexican man in the United States illegally was arrested Thursday in Albertville on multiple charges of child pornography possession.
The Marshall County Sheriff’s Office received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, along with a full report from the Internet Crimes Against Children, that Jairo Ismael Juarez Morales, 38, had allegedly made several uploads containing child sexual abuse material.
With help from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Marshall County investigators determined the suspect’s identity and address using the IP addresses of the uploads. However, after weeks of surveillance, they learned that Morales had moved to another residence, which investigators tracked down with assistance from other state and federal departments.
Multiple agencies assisted in executing a search warrant in the 100 block of Lydia St. in Albertville on Thursday. Morales was taken into custody and charged with 10 counts of possession of child pornography and is being held in the Marshall County Jail on a $100,000 cash bond.
Jairo Ismael Juarez Morales
Possession of child pornography is a Class B felony, punishable by up to 20 years in a state prison and fines up to $30,000 for each count. Additional charges are expected.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed a detainment hold on Morales, along with two other people who were arrested during the search of his home.
“We take cases like these very seriously and will not tolerate the exploitation of children in Marshall County,” Sheriff Phil Sims said. “This case also raises broader enforcement concerns. When an individual accused of such serious offenses is also found to be in the country unlawfully, that cannot be treated as a secondary issue.
“Law enforcement at every level—local, state, and federal—must ensure that immigration law is enforced alongside criminal law, not after the fact. It takes agencies working together because public safety depends on closing those gaps, not managing them.”
The sheriff thanked the following agencies for assisting in the case: Marshall County District Attorney’s Office, Marshall County Special Response Team, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Albertville Police Department, Guntersville Police Department and Albertville Fire and Rescue.
All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty.
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