AG Balderas Announces Man Convicted of Possessing Child Exploitation Materials Sentenced To Prison

For Immediate Release:
October 23, 2020
Contact: Matt Baca — (505) 270-7148

ALBUQUERQUE, NM-–Today, Attorney General Hector Balderas announced that
Donald Qualls was sentenced to three years in the New Mexico Department of
Corrections for Possession Of Visual Medium Of Sexual Exploitation (Child Under 13).
Qualls was apprehended as a result of an investigation into the online sharing of child
exploitation materials by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force of the
New Mexico Office of the Attorney General. The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office
executed a search warrant at Qualls’ residence, and Qualls admitted to downloading child
exploitation materials. Images from 36 known child exploitation series, or sets of
previously known child exploitation images, were found on his computer.
“It is critical for us to protect our children, and my office will continue the fight to protect
New Mexico’s children from online sexual exploitation,” said Attorney General Balderas.
Qualls pleaded guilty to possession of child exploitation materials with a one year
enhancement for possessing an image depicting a child under the age of 13. Under the
terms of the plea agreement, he faced one to six years incarceration at sentencing. The
court sentenced Qualls to three years in the New Mexico Department of Corrections. After
serving his three year prison sentence, Qualls must serve five years of supervised
probation. He faces an additional eight years of incarceration if he violates the terms of
his probation.
The case also was brought as a part of the Office of the New Mexico Attorney General’s
ICAC Task Force mission, which is to locate, track, and capture Internet child sexual
predators in New Mexico. The NM ICAC Task Force consists of 89 federal, state, and
local law enforcement agencies, which is funded by a federal grant through OJJDP
administered by the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General. Anyone with information
relating to suspected child predators and suspected child abuse is encouraged to contact
law enforcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Jonathan
Gardner.