HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — A woman is accused of taking sexually explicit photos of children and sending them in exchange for money, according to court documents.
Esmeralda Torres, 28, has been behind bars at the Harris County Jail for nearly three weeks as she is accused of taking hundreds of nude images and videos of underage girls.
She’s charged with sexual performance by a child, promotion of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
According to court documents, Torres is accused of recording and sending pictures and images that “contained 50 or more visual depictions of children younger than 18 years of age,” who were engaging in sexual conduct.
Before Torres was contacted by law enforcement as part of their investigation, court documents say they received a Cybertip, a tip sent to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, that led them to the person she allegedly sent the images to.
According to court documents, law enforcement received information regarding the upload of four digital files of suspected child pornography last December.
The Houston Police Department said it tracked down the person behind the uploads and identified him as 20-year-old Yordi Baruc Cruz.
According to court documents, Cruz allegedly told law enforcement he asked Torres for pictures and kept the images on his phone in a hidden folder in his gallery.
Court documents said law enforcement then contacted Torres last month at an apartment complex in southwest Houston.
Court documents also said Torres “admitted to taking the videos and sending them to Yordi” and that there were “numerous times when Yordi would send the defendant money or items in exchange for videos and pictures.”
Torres now faces a $60,000 bond.
ABC13 reached out to Torres’ attorney, and we’re waiting to hear back.
As for Cruz, he’s charged with three counts of possession of visual material depicting sexual assault of a child under 10 years old.
Cruz posted bond and is due back in court in October.
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