FBI arrests man connected to Galleria bathroom child sex assault suspect

HOUSTON – The FBI has arrested a Spring man on child pornography charges who they say is connected to a man previously arrested for filming himself and others sexually assaulting children in the bathroom at the Galleria Mall.

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Joshua Jerome Finney, 40, has been in federal custody since last summer. A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment in April, and Finney has since entered a not guilty plea.

Finney was arrested for receipt of child pornography but prosecutors added new charges, including distribution and possession of child pornography, that he made a first appearance on last week.

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According to the federal criminal complaint, Finney was exchanging sexual messages and graphic child sexual abuse material with Arthur Hector Fernandez, who was arrested by FBI Houston in December 2023.

Messages found by investigators appeared to indicate Fernandez and Finney also participated in sex acts with underage boys.

Documents do not indicate Finney was involved in the sexual assault that was filmed inside the mall.

Finney’s defense attorney, Romy Kaplan, wrote the following statement to KPRC 2 News:

“Joshua Finney has entered a plea of not guilty to the charges against him. His arrest arose from an FBI investigation involving a separate individual who has been charged with the sexual exploitation of children and the receipt and distribution of child pornography. Mr. Finney is not a co-defendant in that case, and the allegations against him are separate from that other individual. These allegations will be thoroughly investigated, and I look forward to vigorously defending Mr. Finney in court before the Honorable Judge Rosenthal.”

BACKGROUND

In early December 2023, Australian authorities notified the FBI of child sexual abuse material that had been uploaded to the dark web.

The video allegedly showed Fernandez and up to six others participating in sex acts with minor children, who investigators later found may have been lying on a changing table inside the bathroom at the Galleria.

According to records, the two toddlers’ guardians also worked at the mall and had to bring the children when they couldn’t find childcare. Fernandez allegedly offered to help.

Bracelets seen on one of the men’s wrists in the video led investigators to Fernandez, who was arrested and remains in federal custody.

FBI Houston, however, has not confirmed any additional arrests connected to the mall assault.

NATIONWIDE OPERATION

Finney’s arrest was announced as part of the Department of Justice’s Operation Restore Justice, which resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 alleged offenders across the country.

Those arrested are accused of crimes including producing, distributing, or possessing child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking, according to the Department of Justice.

“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”

In addition to Finney, FBI Houston announced the arrest of five people, including alleged ringleader Natalia Flores, for sex trafficking and sexual exploitation of children. The others arrested include Deatric Wiltz, Christopher Hutchins, Cedrick Fisher, and Salathien Lilly.