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Former Phoenix Mariachi instructor pleads guilty to child porn charges

By
FOX 10 Phoenix
Crime and Public Safety
Published July 7, 2026 4:41 PM MST
Published July 7, 2026 4:41 PM MST
Carloa Jobany Castaneda Lechuga article

Carlos Jobany Castaneda Lechuga

The Brief

    • Carlos Jobany Castaneda Lechuga has pleaded guilty to five counts of producing child pornography, according to officials with the U.S. Attorney's Office.
    • Lechuga was a Mariachi mujsic instructor in Phoenix when the incidents happened, according to investigators.

PHOENIX - Officials with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Arizona say a Texas man who once taught mariachi music in the Phoenix area has pleaded guilty to various child pornography charges.

What we know:

Per a statement released on July 7, 38-year-old Carlos Jobany Castaneda Lechuga pleaded guilty on July 6 to five counts of producing child pornography involving five minor age girls.

"Lechuga has been detained in federal custody since his arrest in December 2024," read a portion of the statement.

The backstory:

We have previously reported on the allegations made against Lechuga.

According to our report in June 2025, Lechuga was accused at the time of producing and distributing child pornography. At the time he was arrested, lechuga was working as a professor in Laredo, Texas.

"During the change of plea hearing, Lechuga admitted that between 2013 and 2019, he taught mariachi music classes at a school and gave private music lessons at his home in Phoenix, Arizona," officials with USAO wrote in their July 7, 2026 statement.

Dig deeper:

Investigators said the five victims were between the ages of six and 11 at the time. During the change of plea hearing, Lechuga admitted to recording videos and images that showed him touching the girls inappropriately in their private areas.

"In December 2024, the FBI located five video recordings on the dark web showing two of the identified girls," read a portion of the statement.

Officials did not identify any of the victims by name in their statement.

What's next:

According to the statement, Lechuga is set to be sentenced on Sept. 15, 2026.

"A conviction for Producing Child Pornography carries a minimum penalty of 15 years and a maximum penalty of 30 years, and a possible $250,000 fine," officials wrote.

The Source: Information for this article was gathered from a statement released by the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona, as well as from a FOX 10 news report that was published in June 2025.

Crime and Public SafetyPhoenixNews