Danville Man Charged With Producing CSAM and Extorting Minors

ROANOKE, Va. — Jesus Diaz, 25, of Danville, Virginia, faces 12 federal felony charges after a grand jury returned a sealed indictment on April 9, 2026, that was unsealed May 8 following his arrest in New Mexico, the U.S. Department of Justice announced.

The indictment charges Diaz with four counts of production of child sexual abuse material, four counts of enticement of a minor, one count of distribution of child sexual abuse material, one count of cyberstalking of a minor, and two counts of making extortive threats to injure the reputation of a minor. The charges stem from alleged conduct targeting multiple minors.

Scope of the case covers at least one victim identified in the production counts and additional minors referenced in the enticement, distribution, cyberstalking and extortion counts. Federal law sets a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a statutory maximum of 30 years on each production-of-CSAM count.

Enticement carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years. Conviction on the extortion counts can add up to 20 years each.

The indictment shifts the case from sealed investigation to open criminal prosecution in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia. Diaz must now appear for arraignment in Roanoke, where prosecutors will present evidence to a trial jury unless a plea agreement is reached.

The arrest in New Mexico activates interstate transfer procedures under the Fugitive Felon Act and requires the Bureau of Prisons to detain him pending trial.

Downstream, conviction would trigger mandatory sex-offender registration, restitution to victims, and forfeiture of computers, cellphones and online accounts used in the alleged offenses. The U.S. Attorney’s Office must also notify Virginia state authorities, which can initiate parallel civil commitment or child-protection proceedings.

Sentencing would be governed by U.S. Sentencing Guidelines that treat multiple minor victims and use of computers as specific offense characteristics that increase the recommended prison term.

This indictment forms part of the Justice Department’s ongoing enforcement against online child sexual exploitation. The charges cite Title 18 of the U.S. Code sections covering production, distribution and enticement of minors for sexual activity as well as the federal cyberstalking and extortion statutes.