The arrest stems from a search warrant on a cell phone seized during a previous operation, which revealed enough to press several more charges on the suspect.
SAN ANTONIO — A 48-year-old man has been arrested for the second time in two weeks on charges related to child exploitation, according to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.
On Friday, Aurelio Benjamin Cerella was taken into custody by the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office Human Exploitation Unit following an investigation that uncovered alleged illegal material on his cellphone, Sheriff Javier Salazar said.
Cerella faces charges of possession of child pornography, a third-degree felony; possession of child pornography involving a child under age 10, a second-degree felony; and bestiality, a state jail felony.
The arrest follows a prior operation in which undercover personnel posed online as a 16-year-old girl. Investigators said Cerella communicated with the undercover account, sent explicit photos and made a sexual proposition. He was arrested March 25 and released on bond March 27.
During that investigation, authorities seized a cellphone believed to belong to Cerella and later obtained a search warrant to examine its contents. Investigators said they discovered images of child pornography and bestiality on the device.
On Friday, authorities obtained three additional arrest warrants based on the findings, Salazar said.
“At this point, we believe the material found on the phone was downloaded and not produced by the suspect,” Salazar said, adding that the origin of the images does not lessen the severity of the alleged crimes. “This gentleman’s legal problems are just starting to get even worse.”
Salazar also urged parents to remain vigilant about their children’s online activity, noting several recent reports involving minors being approached online.
“We’ve had multiple instances in recent weeks where children as young as 13 and 14 have been contacted by individuals speaking to them in a similar manner,” Salazar said. He added that such interactions often begin on mainstream social media or gaming platforms before moving to less-monitored applications.
Authorities encouraged parents to talk with their children about online safety and to report suspicious activity.