Homicide Suspect charged with Sexual Exploitation of Children (by possession).

The following is a press release provided by Sheriff David Frazee:

On December 8, 2021, Torrance County Sheriff’s Office (“TCSO”) deputies began a homicide investigation after a man was shot and killed at his residence in McIntosh, NM. TCSO deputies from the Patrol Division and Criminal Investigations Division conducted this investigation during which time PAUL ARAGON was arrested and charged with an Open Count of Murder.

In February 2022, TCSO Investigator Alex Schwerdel was contacted by the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office (“NMAGO”), Internet Crimes Against Children (“I.C.A.C”) Task Force about ARAGON. The mission of the I.C.A.C. Task Force is to locate, track, and capture internet child sexual predators in New Mexico. There are over 90 federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies, including the Torrance County Sheriff’s Office, associated with the I.C.A.C. Task Force. The Task Force is funded by an Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) grant administered by the NMAGO.

TCSO Investigator Alex Schwerdel learned that NMAGO received Priority E CyberTip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”). The CyberTip stated that there was unfamiliar material that indicated uploads of Child Sexual Abuse Material (“CSAM”) or also known as “Child Pornography”. It was reported that a Google user identified as PAUL ARAGON utilized the platform to upload CSAM material linked to his Gmail account.

TCSO Investigator Schwerdel began investigating these allegations. This investigation included six separate search warrants on various electronic devices and platforms and resulted in the seizure of nearly 1,000 images of child pornography.

TCSO Investigator Schwerdel partnered with personnel from the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office I.C.A.C. Task Force, the FBI Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, and the Seventh Judicial District Attorney’s Office (Estancia, NM) to successfully bring this investigation to a close resulting in additional criminal charges being filed against PAUL ARAGON for Sexual Exploitation of Children (by possession).

Anyone with information relating to suspected child predators is encouraged to contact federal or local law enforcement or to make an anonymous report through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by calling 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or by visiting them online.

David E. Frazee
Torrance County Sheriff