After skipping bond and remaining on the lam for 12 years, 71-year-old Carlos Blanco has been extradited from Spain to the United States to face federal child pornography possession and distribution charges in the Southern District of Florida. Blanco made his initial appearance in Miami federal court this week after arriving on a flight from Spain, where he was arrested pursuant to a request from the U.S. government.
Federal law enforcement originally arrested Blanco (a citizen of the United States, Honduras, and Cuba) on November 3, 2010, charging him by criminal complaint with possessing and distributing child pornography. He was released on bond following initial hearings before a federal magistrate judge. Following a grand jury's decision to indict Blanco, the court set a February 24, 2011 hearing, at which Blanco was expected to plead guilty. Blanco failed to appear for the change of plea hearing, and the judge issued an arrest warrant. The court declared Blanco a fugitive on February 25, 2011 -- a designation Blanco held for over 12 years.
In March 2023, Blanco was arrested in Spain pursuant to a request for his provisional arrest made by the U.S. Department of Justice Criminal Division's Office of International Affairs (OIA). Blanco consented to his extradition to the United States. Blanco lived in Spain from July 2022 through the date of his arrest. Before that, he lived in Honduras for 11 years.
Markenzy Lapointe, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Jeffrey B. Veltri, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami, announced the extradition.
U.S. Attorney Lapointe extends his gratitude to FBI Miami's Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Task Force and the government of Spain for making the extradition possible, as well as OIA for its significant assistance in securing the defendant's extradition. The U.S. Attorney also extends his gratitude to the Spanish Civil Guard and Interpol for their assistance in capturing this fugitive and in bringing him back to the United States.
FBI Miami investigated the criminal case against Blanco, which Assistant U.S. Attorney Cory O'Neal is prosecuting.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at https://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number Case #10-20837-CR-King.
