A 35-year-old Filipino crew member was arrested in Boston after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents found numerous child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) during a review of his two phones, according to a press release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Arrest and Criminal Charges
The crew member, Bobby Prieto, a Filipino, was targeted for secondary screening by CBP agents while the Norwegian Jewel was docked in Boston on September 24. CBP agents allegedly found multiple files depicting CSAM, including a video showing Prieto sexually assaulting a prepubescent girl.
The Boston Globe reports that authorities found over 1,200 images of CSAM on Prieto’s two cell phones and that Prieto confirmed he was the man in the video sexually assaulting a minor.
Federal Court Criminal Complaint and Probable Cause Affidavit
The criminal court file contains a probable cause affidavit (view here) setting forth the sexually explicit facts and circumstances leading to Prieto’s arrest.
NCMEC’s Cyber Tipline Reports
According to the affidavit by a special agent of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Prieto was the subject of 75 “Cyber Tipline” reports which result when electronic service providers (ESP’s) monitor and alerts when users transmit or download child sexual abuse materials. Cyber Tiplines are the product of the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) which track child predators and pornographers and interact with federal immigration officials like CBP.
Prieto is obviously a child pervert who repeatedly accessed the internet to obtain and transmit child pornography including at least one child he victimized and videotaped himself.
Numerous Pornographic Images and Videos of Children Via Whats/App and Telegram Groups
Once Prieto was on the radar of NCMEC, CBP conducted a border search which located two of his cell phones full of prepubescent sex acts. The affidavit included details regarding three sets of disturbing images, including the rapes of a young girl approximately 9 to 12 years old; a pair of girls 3 to 6 years old; and a girl 5 to 8 years old.
The interview was conducted a special agent of Homeland Security Investigations. Pietro was videotaped throughout the interview.
CBP read Pietro his Miranda rights which he waived orally and in writing.
He then admitted that he was the adult man in the video raping the 5 to 8 year old girl.
One Telegram chat in his phones included a message advertising prices for media files of child pornography, which he obviously used to buy a tremendous number of pornography file involving minors
Criminal Charges
Prieto has been charged with one count of transportation of child pornography, which carries a minimum sentence of 5 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of up to $250,000. Prieto is currently detained pending a hearing scheduled for October 1, 2026.
In my view, Prieto is likely to end up with a maximum sentence in light of participating in the abuse of a minor which he videotaped.
Prieto is rightfully being prosecuted for allegedly transporting child pornography, including a graphic video showing him sexually assaulting a prepubescent girl. Contrary to the usual CSAM-related visa terminations, which now total around 300, where crew members are targeted by CBP and quickly deported, this case appears well investigated and documented by Home Security Investigations where the crew member has been rightfully arrested and will face criminal accountability.
The question still remains why the vast majority of other crew members have been deported instead of arrested and prosecuted for possessing CSAM and CSEM.
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Image Credit: Norwegian Jewel – Kyle.died.rich – Own work, public domain commons / wikimedia.