Federal authorities have confirmed that a Texas man arrested alongside his wife during a nationwide FBI crackdown targeting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) offenses was serving on active duty in the U.S. Air Force at the time the alleged crimes occurred.
In a statement provided to The Salty Soldier, the Department of Justice confirmed that Marcus Xavier Anguiano, 30, was an active-duty airman assigned to Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho during the period outlined in the federal indictment.
“Anguiano was an airman in the United States Air Force at the time of the offenses alleged in the indictment,” a DOJ spokesperson told The Salty Soldier. “He was active duty at the time of the alleged offense. He was stationed at Mountain Home Air Force Base at the time of the offense.”
The confirmation resolves lingering questions surrounding Anguiano’s military status following his arrest in Lubbock, Texas, a city not located near a major active-duty Air Force installation.
Anguiano and his wife, Maddie Rhea Anguiano, 28, were arrested on December 12, 2025, at their residence at 7918 Louisville Ave. in Lubbock as part of Operation Relentless Justice, a coordinated FBI-led enforcement action announced by the Department of Justice on December 19.
The two-week nationwide operation involved all 56 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section within DOJ’s Criminal Division, and U.S. attorneys’ offices across the country. According to federal officials, the operation resulted in the identification of more than 205 child victims and the arrests of over 293 alleged offenders nationwide.
Court and jail records show the Anguianos were booked into the Lubbock County jail on federal warrants before being transferred into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
According to the DOJ, the couple faces the following federal charges:
- One count of conspiracy to produce and attempt to produce child pornography
- One count of production and attempted production of child pornography
- One count of receipt and distribution of child pornography
Marcus Anguiano is additionally charged with a second count of production and attempted production of child pornography.
If convicted, the defendants face mandatory minimum sentences of 15 years in federal prison on most counts, with potential maximum sentences of up to 30 years. The receipt and distribution charge carries a sentencing range of five to 20 years.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Dallas Field Office’s Lubbock Resident Agency with assistance from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) at Mountain Home Air Force Base, along with the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, Lubbock Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Wolfforth Police Department.
In its original press release, DOJ referenced “an airman out of Lubbock, Texas, who was arrested with his wife for producing child sex abuse material,” language that initially prompted questions regarding Anguiano’s service status and duty station. DOJ’s confirmation now establishes that Anguiano was assigned to Mountain Home AFB and serving on active duty during the timeframe cited in the indictment.
Public records previously reviewed by The Salty Soldier showed Anguiano had resided near Mountain Home Air Force Base prior to relocating to Texas. The DOJ statement confirms that connection was tied to his military assignment.
The Salty Soldier has submitted additional records requests seeking clarification on Anguiano’s duty status at the time of arrest, whether he was still on active duty or in a transitional status, and the administrative or disciplinary actions, if any, initiated by the Air Force following his arrest. As of publication, those requests remain pending.
In addition to the Anguianos, DOJ announced the arrests of four other individuals in the Northern District of Texas as part of Operation Relentless Justice, with charges ranging from attempted enticement of a minor to production of child sexual abuse material by a registered sex offender.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi said the operation reflects a sustained federal effort to identify and prosecute offenders who exploit children online, while FBI officials emphasized the role of interagency cooperation in dismantling child exploitation networks.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
© 2025 The Salty Soldier. All rights reserved. Reproduction without written consent is strictly prohibited.
