Houston man charged with sexual exploitation of minors, accused of posing as 12-year-old boy

HOUSTON – A Spring man has been charged with four counts of child sexual exploitation, it was announced Thursday.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, 49-year-old Thomas Henry Lopez has been charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count of dissemination of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and one count of transmission of obscene material to a minor.

SUGGESTED: Estranged Wife of Former Professional Soccer Player Captured in Disturbing Video Calls Exclusive to FOX 26

Between June and July 2024, Lopez is accused of texting two minors in California via TikTok and later texting them via JusTalk, posing as a 12-year-old Texas boy, according to court documents. He asked the girls to send him images and videos of them performing sexually explicit acts. Lopez also sent the girls sexually explicit images of adults, including himself.

Lopez was identified by the FBI because he used the internet connection at his home and at his work, where he was a chief engineer at an oil and gas company, to talk to the victims.

He was arrested on September 3 when he left for a work trip in Singapore. The FBI reportedly seized several devices during a search of his home.

DOWNLOAD THE FOX 26 HOUSTON APP BY CLICKING HERE

Lopez is expected to appear before a federal judge in Houston on Friday.

If convicted, Lopez faces a minimum of 15 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison with a possible fine of up to $250,000 for the charge of child sexual exploitation and a minimum of five years in prison with a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000 for the charge of dissemination of a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. If Lopez is convicted of transferring obscene material to a minor, she faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a possible fine of up to $250,000.