Convicted sex offender sentenced to 34 years in prison

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – On Tuesday, a convicted sex offender faced 358 years in prison after being convicted on 30 counts related to possession, manufacturing, and distributing child porn.

But, a judge sentenced him far less than that amount. KOB 4 breaks down his punishment and the judge’s reasoning for it. 

“I am truly remorseful for my part in having these images. I’m truly remorseful for not reporting them when I should have,” said Pablo Griego, a convicted sex offender. 

Griego addressed Judge Joseph Montano at his sentencing hearing Tuesday, and tried to make himself out as a victim as he sought a lesser sentence. 

“I didn’t manufacture all that. I didn’t create that, and it’s hurtful because I didn’t even know those images were on that computer. I glanced at them, and you know, but I didn’t know exactly what it was because it’s disturbing to me,” Griego said. 

However, prosecutors reminded the judge of the evidence at the trial that showed something very different. 

“Manufacturing is the copying of these images. He continued to fuel the market for these images by continuing to copy them. Just months before they hit his house with the search warrant he was moving images on his computers. This was not located on his computer like he says, this was located on three different devices, two laptops and a thumb drive,” said Assistant Attorney General, Ashley Schweizer.  

They say Griego copied child porn images, stored them in a file marked “awesome” and shared them with at least one person over the internet. They say his actions ensured children would continue to be victimized. 

“There were 22 of these kids that are hurting, that are scared. Their images are being propagated and fueled across a global marketplace that is harming them,” said Schweizer.  

They also pointed to a journal found under Griego’s mattress, which suggested Griego was fantasizing about a relationship with a young neighbor. 

“And I quote from the notebook ‘I’ve never felt this way about a 10-year-old before,’” said an agent. 

Ultimately, Judge Montano handed down the maximum sentence, but he allowed much of it to run concurrently, and he suspended half the sentence. 

In the end, Griego was sentenced to 34 years in prison. He’ll spend between five and 20 years on probation after he gets out, and will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.