Orem man admits to phone porn

An Orem man found to have pictures of little girls on his cell phone, depicting sadistic and masochistic conduct, pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court.

Jacobo Javier Rivera, 32, agreed to two federal counts of possession of child pornography. Prosecutors say they will recommend consecutive sentences for the two convictions, which could land Rivera in prison for 20 years. The potential maximum sentence for each count is 10 years.

Rivera also faces state charges, filed in 4th District Court last May, including seven first-degree felony counts sodomy on a child, rape of a child and aggravated sex abuse of a child. A second plea agreement is in the works regarding those charges.

As part of a plea agreement reached with prosecutors, he admitted that in April 2005 he possessed fewer than 10 images of child pornography, according to a statement from the U.S. attorney's office.

Rivera is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 29.

Rivera's then-girlfriend discovered the pictures on his cell phone when she tried to use it last April and notified Provo police, who arrested him. She later realized the little girls pictured were her niece and two daughters.

Because the photos were conceived on a cell phone, Rivera has also been charged with five federal felony counts of production of child pornography, which he will face in a June trial. He was also found to be residing in the U.S. illegally.

When Rivera finishes his federal prison sentence, Melodie Rydalch, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's Office, said he will be turned over to the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation.

---

E-mail: wleonard@desnews.com