By Yazid Guelida and Ninette Portero
Federal agents are accusing Roger Ignacio Sanchez, a former Miami Dade College employee, of possessing and trading child sexual abuse content online.
The 63-year-old was arrested at his home on July 22 after law enforcement conducted a search of his computer at his residence in northwest Miami-Dade and found child sexual abuse files downloaded in his computer.
He is charged with two federal violations that include receipt and possession of visual depictions involving sexual exploitation of minors.
Sanchez last served as the assistant to the dean of faculty at Kendall Campus. He worked at the College from March 1, 2004 until July 22, 2026.
In a statement provided by MDC’s media relations on July 30, the College said: “Following a review in accordance with College policies and procedures, the individual’s employment with the College has been terminated. The College has zero tolerance for conduct that endangers children, compromises the safety of others, or violates the standards of integrity and professionalism expected of every member of our institution.”
The federal investigation began in April of 2025 when the FBI was informed by an international law enforcement officer that a user, later identified as Sanchez, was trading videos and images of child sexual abuse in chatrooms of an unidentified application, according to a criminal complaint.
An undercover FBI agent said he had direct conversations with Sanchez that summer, and Sanchez allegedly shared sexually explicit images and videos of children of various ages, the youngest being 4 years old.
According to court records, Sanchez told the FBI agent that “he was sexually interested in both boys and girls ages 6 to 16, but noted that he has never sexually abused a child.”
After obtaining records related to Sanchez’s online accounts from Google, T-Mobile and other organizations, the FBI began surveillance of his home and his movements to work between the months of April and June of this year.
During the search warrant raid on his home on July 22, agents discovered a computer in his bedroom with several windows containing child pornography.
On Aug. 12, Sanchez entered a not guilty plea in a preliminary hearing at the C. Clyde Atkins United States Courthouse in downtown Miami.
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