The U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee on Thursday announced the sentencing of Camilo Campos-Hurtado, 66, an illegal alien and former soccer coach who last year pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM), using fraudulent immigration documents, and possessing stolen immigration documents.
Unlawfully in the United States for more than two decades, investigators determined that Campos-Hurtado recruited boys age 9-17 from school playgrounds in Franklin to play on his soccer team. Once recruited, Campos-Hurtado lured victims to his home, provided them drugs or alcohol, and committed sexual assaults that he recorded.
Though prosecutors requested a 50-year sentence, Campos-Hurtado was sentenced to 30 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), “Campos-Hurtado is unlawfully present in the United States. Following completion of his federal sentence and any remaining state sentence, he is expected to be removed to Mexico through immigration proceedings.”
The criminal behavior was discovered after Campos-Hurtado left his cell phone at a Franklin pizza restaurant, where the videos were discovered by a member of the public who contacted police.
U.S. Attorney Braden Boucek stated in a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) press release, “Campos-Hurtado preyed on children, rendered his victims incapable of resisting, recorded his horrific crimes, and concealed his true identity through fraudulent immigration and identification documents while remaining unlawfully in the United States. Today’s sentence delivers justice for his victims and ensures that this dangerous predator will spend decades in federal prison.”
Boucek said the conviction demonstrates the DOJ “has no higher priority than protecting children from sexual exploitation,” and that criminals who “abuse children, produce or collect child sexual abuse material, or exploit our immigration system to facilitate their crimes will be identified, prosecuted, and held fully accountable.”
He also expressed gratitude tothe Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) within U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the U.S. Marshals, the Franklin police, and “the vigilant citizen whose actions brought these crimes to light.”
The arrest drew the attention of Tennessee’s Republican congressional delegation and U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), who sent a letter to the Biden-era DHS demanding answers about how Campos-Hurtado managed to remain in the country in 2023.
Blackburn noted that Campos-Hurtado had previously been charged with public intoxication once, and driving without a license three times, and but was somehow allowed to remain in the country.
The Franklin Police Department previously reported that evidence suggested Campos-Hurtado recorded his assaults against at least 10 victims.
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Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
