Andrea Reeb, Ninth Judicial District Attorney, announced that Robert Hawkins, age 25, of Portales, NM, was sentenced on July 6, 2015, to 18 months in prison for possession of child pornography. A Roosevelt county jury found him guilty in May, 2015, after a two-day trial.
The case was a result of an investigation by the ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) Task Force of the State Attorney General’s Office. A search warrant was issued for Hawkins’ computers that were suspected as being used to illegally download child pornography. Hawkins was arrested on February 19, 2014, after the Portales Police Department received forensic reports on the computers from the New Mexico Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory. Over 167 images were discovered, however since the recent ruling by the New Mexico Supreme Court, all images will merge into one count, which is a fourth degree felony.
District Attorney Andrea Reeb stated, “This case is a prime example of why the current child pornography law must change. Mr. Hawkins received 18 months in prison for possessing 167 images of child pornography. Even though he received the 18 months, with good time, he will only serve 9 months in jail. Meanwhile, the child victims will be re-victimized every time their image is viewed or downloaded for the rest of their lives.”
The Honorable Donna Mowrer presided over the sentencing hearing on Monday and ordered that Hawkins register as a life-time sex offender and also recommended that he undergo substance abuse screening and treatment while in prison.