HomeArchiveSouth Carolina police detain Costa Rican man on child pornography charges in...

South Carolina police detain Costa Rican man on child pornography charges in the U.S.

Police in the southern U.S. state of South Carolina arrested a Costa Rican man, Michael Portilla, 29, on Thursday, and charged him with possession of child pornography, South Carolina News Channel 15 reported on its website.

According to the news report, the Horry County Sheriff’s Office, a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, made the arrest.

On July 16, deputies assisted the Department of Homeland Security in executing a search warrant at the Costa Rica native’s house in Myrtle Beach.

During the search officers found multiple images on a computer showing children engaged in sexual activity.

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said Portilla was charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor in the third degree, a felony offense punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

The computer and other computer-related items were seized.

Portilla was released after posting a $10,000 bail bond, the report stated.

Trending Now

Costa Rica Landfill Plan in Mora Faces New Land-Use Challenge

A decades-long fight over a proposed waste project in Picagres has flared again after the Mora municipal administration issued a new land-use certificate for...

Costa Rica’s Playa Sámara Residents Push to Restore Long-Damaged Mangrove

Residents of Playa Sámara are pushing for the restoration of the Río Lagarto mangrove, an ecosystem that environmental authorities say was heavily altered by...

Costa Rica Plans to Spread El Niño Power Costs Over Three Years of Bills

A government directive proposes recovering the extra cost of generating electricity during El Niño through rates over 36 months to avoid abrupt increases.

Costa Rica Concert Producers Arrested in $850,000 Money Laundering Probe

Two well-known Costa Rican concert producers were among 18 people arrested Wednesday in a money laundering investigation into whether an alleged drug trafficking organization...

Landslides Close Costa Rica’s Route 32 Between San José and Limón

Costa Rica’s main highway between San José and the Caribbean remained closed this morning after heavy rain triggered landslides at several points along...

Costa Rica Job Losses Mount as Major Companies Cut Operations

Job creation has struggled to gain momentum in Costa Rica, while business closures and corporate restructuring have resulted in the loss of at least...

Water Upgrades for Jacó, Quepos and Manuel Antonio Stall After Seven Years

A loan-funded program to upgrade water systems in Jacó, Quepos, Manuel Antonio, Limón and Guácimo has reached just 25% completion after seven years, according...

Iron Maiden Ends 10-Year Absence With 50th-Anniversary Show in Costa Rica

Iron Maiden returned to Costa Rica after 10 years, bringing its 50th-anniversary tour and a song never played here before.

Costa Rica Investigates Damage to Thermal Wetland Near Cartago

Costa Rican environmental prosecutors are investigating alleged damage to a wetland near Cartago that contains natural hot springs, wildlife habitat and a network of...
L. Arias
L. Arias
Reporter | The Tico Times |
Loading…

Latest News from Costa Rica

Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Car Rentals
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Travel