Spanish
A civil servant from the General Directorate of Migration and Foreign Affairs was arrested this Thursday by agents of the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), after being linked to the alleged possession of child sexual exploitation material.
The suspect, identified by the surnames Jiménez Cambronero, was captured during an operation carried out in the Chapultepec neighborhood, in Curridabat, as part of an investigation that had been underway since August 2025 under the name “Caso Sombra”.
According to judicial authorities, the man possessed at least 158 files related to child pornography, including six videos that allegedly contained scenes of sexual abuse against minors. The arrest occurred around 5:30 a.m., when OIJ officers intercepted the suspect while he was going to his workplace at the General Directorate of Migration and Foreign Affairs. Subsequently, the agents took the detainee to his home to execute a search and gather digital evidence that could be linked to the investigation. During the operation, the authorities seized electronic devices that will now be subjected to forensic analysis to determine if more illicit material is stored or if content was distributed through digital platforms. According to the OIJ, the case began after the technology company Meta issued an international alert related to suspicious activity detected on one of its platforms. Authorities seized electronic devices that will be subjected to forensic analysis. The information was initially sent to United States authorities and, through geographic tracking of the device used, it was determined that the connection originated from Costa Rica. Based on this, coordination began between US agencies and the OIJ, which allowed for the opening of a formal investigation against the official since August of last year. The case was named "Shadow" because the suspect frequently participated as a cosplayer (character costume) in various public activities and events aimed at children and families. According to the investigation, the man used a character known as “Shadow,” with whom he attended recreational activities dressed in costumes inspired by fictional characters. The data generated special concern among the authorities due to the proximity that this type of dynamics can generate with minors in public spaces and family activities. However, to date, the OIJ has not confirmed reports related to physical contact, assaults, or sexual offenses committed directly against minors in Costa Rica. The investigation remains focused, for now, on the apparent possession of child sexual exploitation material and the analysis of the seized devices. The detainee was presented before the Public Prosecutor's Office, where their legal situation and the precautionary measures that could be imposed while the criminal process advances will be defined. In Costa Rica, the legislation contemplates severe penalties for crimes related to child pornography, particularly when there is storage, distribution, or production of sexual content involving minors. Judicial authorities have repeatedly pointed out that the exchange of this type of file is usually linked to international networks and digital platforms operating in different countries, so international cooperation is key to detecting suspects. Precisely, technological platforms like Meta are obliged to report activities related to child sexual exploitation when their systems identify suspicious content or patterns associated with this type of crime. In recent years, the OIJ has increased investigations related to computer crimes and sexual exploitation of minors, especially those linked to the storage and circulation of files online. The Judicial Police also recalled that the possession of child sexual exploitation material constitutes a crime, even if the person has not directly participated in the production of the content. As the analysis of the electronic equipment seized in the raid continues, the authorities do not rule out expanding the investigation or identifying possible connections with other people.
