A McAllen man was sentenced to federal prison for production of child pornography, according to a news release from the office of U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

The news release said 24-year-old Jacob Ryan Arredondo pleaded guilty on Nov. 27, 2023. He has since been sentenced to 30 years in prison.

During his hearing, the court head how Arredondo took advantage of his relationship with the victim in order to sexually abuse him, according to the news release.

The news release said the victim kept the secret for two years because of that relationship and also because he feared Arredondo due to his size and age.

Following his prison sentence, Arredondo will serve 15 years of supervised release and will have to comply with numerous requirements that will restrict his access to children and the internet, according to the news release. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

The news release said Arredondo caught the attention of authorities following a referral from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in August 2023. A Google account had uploaded child sexual abuse material of minor males. The investigation was able to identify one of those victims.

Arredondo admitted to sexually abuse the victim and recording it on his cellphone. An examination of his phone revealed a total of 234 images and seven videos of the victim, according to the news release.

The news release said the abuse began with the victim was only 10 years old and continued for two years.

Arredondo will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.