LOS BANOS, CALIF. — A former Los Banos Junior High School teacher has been indicted by a federal grand jury on serious charges related to the sexual exploitation of a minor and the distribution of child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
Christian Banuelos, 30, was charged on July 17, 2025, with one count of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography. The indictment alleges that Banuelos persuaded or coerced a minor to produce sexually explicit images between July 8, 2022, and November 15, 2023. He is also accused of receiving and distributing child pornography between December 9, 2019, and August 22, 2024.
Federal investigators say Banuelos used his position to gain access to victims, though no additional details about the victim or circumstances were released publicly. The charges follow a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and the Los Banos Police Department.
If convicted, Banuelos faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison for the sexual exploitation charge. The child pornography charge carries a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years. Both counts also carry potential fines of up to $250,000.
Banuelos was previously employed at Los Banos Junior High, part of the Los Banos Unified School District. As of this report, he is no longer employed with the district. The school district has not issued a formal public statement but is reportedly cooperating fully with federal authorities.
These charges are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative, which aims to combat child exploitation crimes nationwide. Banuelos is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
