A Farmington man has been sentenced to eight years in prison for possessing hundreds of images and videos of child pornography with intent to distribute.
Anthony David Gallegos, 23, was shaking from head to toe Friday in 6th Judicial District Court as he awaited sentencing before District Judge Suzanne Carlson. His defense attorney, Arlon L. Stoker, said it was not an act; his client suffers from “horrible” anxiety, PTSD and depression.
“Judge, he’s scared to death,” Stoker said. “He’s been scared to death since this case arose.”
Gallegos pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child, a Class 3 felony, in a plea agreement with prosecutors.
The Durango Police Department was notified in June 2020 that someone on social media, possibly in Durango, was sharing child porn. Investigators were able to trace posts made in April on the app Snapchat to an IP address belonging to Gallegos, according to court records.
On Sept. 1, 2020, authorities executed a search warrant on a home Gallegos was renting in the Aspen Trails neighborhood, northeast of Durango. At the time, he was also wanted in New Mexico for “criminal sexual penetration.”
According to his plea agreement, Gallegos possessed photos and videos “depicting young females, as young as toddler-aged females,” engaged in sexual acts.
Stoker asked that Gallegos be given probation, saying he has admitted to possessing the materials and is receiving psychosexual treatment.
“He goes to treatment all the time,” Stoker said.
But Assistant District Attorney Sean Murray asked for 10 years in prison based on Gallegos’ sexual offender history and to deter others from possessing or distributing child porn. He said maybe when Gallegos gets out of prison he’ll reflect on his actions versus blaming his anxiety.
“We’re talking about hundreds of little girls that were victimized – revictimized,” Murray said.
While shaking and crying, Gallegos apologized to “everybody who was involved in this case.”
He said pornography was a coping mechanism that spiraled out of control.
“This has been the greatest mistake of my life,” he said. “It has taught me a lot about myself.”
Judge Carlson said she would like to consider giving Gallegos community corrections, which allows offenders to live and work in the community under strict supervision, but that option was not available because Gallegos has other pending cases. She said she’d consider resentencing him at a later date if community corrections is willing to accept him once all of his cases have been resolved.
shane@durangoherald.com
