Allentown Man Arrested for Manufacturing Child Pornography

PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney William M. McSwain announced that Luis Perez-Rodriguez, 31, of Allentown, PA, has been arrested and charged with one count of manufacturing child pornography after a search warrant was executed at his home. United States Magistrate Judge Henry S. Perkin presided over a detention hearing in Allentown via video teleconference today, and ordered that the defendant remain in custody pending trial.

The charge stems from the defendant’s alleged sexual abuse of a minor child, filming that abuse, and sending a video of the abuse to other users on the messenger app Kik. The defendant allegedly used the username “LuNTiph” to distribute the video to a Kik group that, unfortunately for the defendant, included an undercover FBI agent.

“My Office is steadfast in its commitment to keeping our children safe from harm,” said U.S. Attorney McSwain. “Those who break the law will be swiftly prosecuted – pandemic or not – and held responsible for their actions, especially when targeting the most vulnerable members of our society. And I want to thank the FBI for its excellent, proactive work on this investigation.”

“There are few situations more urgent than when a child is physically at risk,” said Michael J. Driscoll, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Philadelphia Division. “Those who sexually exploit children do serious lasting harm, and the manufacture and trade of child pornography cruelly perpetuates this damage. The FBI is committed to finding such predators, locking them up, and ensuring those they've victimized are safe and well-supported.”

If convicted, Perez-Rodriguez faces a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years’ incarceration, a lifetime of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $5,100 special assessment. He also faces a 15-year mandatory minimum sentence of imprisonment.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brittany Jones.

An Indictment, Information, or Criminal Complaint is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.