Shelbyville Resident Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation Charges

Natividad Aguilera Garcia, a 40-year-old resident of Shelbyville, Kentucky, has pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including the receipt of child sexual abuse material and inducing illegal immigration. The plea was entered on October 9, 2026, before Chief U. S.

District Judge David L. Bunning, according to the U. S.

Attorney's Office.

Garcia, a Honduran citizen and legal permanent resident of the United States, was indicted in March 2024. His charges stem from a series of events that began when he met a minor while visiting family in Honduras. The minor reported that Garcia courted her during his visit. After returning to the United States, Garcia received sexually explicit images of the minor and persuaded her to illegally enter the country.

Upon the minor's arrival in the United States, she was placed in a shelter for unaccompanied alien children, overseen by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Garcia falsely claimed to ORR that he was the minor's uncle and presented a fraudulent Honduran birth certificate to support this claim. Based on these falsehoods, ORR placed the minor in Garcia's care, and he subsequently picked her up from the Louisville airport.

The situation came to light when Garcia's ex-wife reported his conduct to the shelter days after he took custody of the minor. This prompted an investigation by law enforcement. Although Garcia's plea agreement does not include admissions regarding his actions after picking up the minor, it was noted that he searched the internet for information on the detection of sexual contact shortly after being contacted by law enforcement.

Garcia faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of twenty years in prison, along with a potential fine of $250,000. His sentencing is scheduled for February 10, 2027.

The case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The investigation involved multiple agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations, the Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, the Shelbyville Police Department, and the Kentucky State Police.

Officials emphasized the importance of protecting vulnerable children and holding accountable those who exploit them. "This prosecution demonstrates federal law enforcement’s commitment to protecting children outside of our borders from conduct that originates within our borders," said Jason Parman, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky.

The case highlights the collaborative efforts of federal, state, and local agencies to address complex cases of exploitation and fraud. "Working alongside our federal, state, and local partners, we will continue to investigate these complex cases, support victims, and pursue those who violate the law," said Michael Perez, acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge of HSI Nashville.