Rio Rancho Predator Gets 8 Years for Enticing Teen

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – Joe Medina, 38, of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, is headed to federal prison for eight years after pleading guilty to a horrific crime: enticing a child to travel in interstate commerce for the purpose of sexual activity. The sentence, handed down this morning in Albuquerque, isn’t nearly enough for the damage he’s inflicted, but it’s a start. Following his imprisonment, Medina will face 15 years of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender – a permanent mark of his depravity.

The case, a grim reminder of the predators lurking in our communities, began with a missing person’s report filed with the Rio Rancho Police Department (RRPD) on July 9, 2015. The victim’s mother frantically reported her child missing, triggering an investigation that quickly revealed a chilling pattern. Medina had lured the 16-year-old victim, taking her to Denver, Colorado, and placing her on a bus – a journey intended to end in New York City with unspeakable acts.

Federal authorities caught up to Medina in Indianapolis, Indiana, on July 20, 2015, after an arrest warrant was issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico. The FBI, leading the investigation, discovered Medina and the victim on a bus stopped in Indianapolis on July 12, 2015, effectively halting his twisted plan. He was initially arrested on a New Mexico state warrant, but federal charges soon followed. An indictment on August 11, 2015, charged Medina with transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and the production of a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

Medina ultimately pled guilty on November 7, 2016, to a felony information charging him with coercion and enticement. He admitted to enticing the victim to leave Sandoval County, New Mexico, between July 9 and July 12, 2015, with the intention of traveling to New York for illegal sexual acts. This wasn’t a spontaneous decision; it was a calculated and predatory act that has forever scarred the victim. Acting U.S. Attorney James D. Tierney, Special Agent in Charge Terry Wade of the FBI’s Albuquerque Division, and Acting Police Chief Paul Rogers of the RRPD announced the sentencing.

The investigation was a multi-agency effort, involving the FBI’s Albuquerque office, the RRPD, the Corrales Police Department, and the New Mexico Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory. Assistance also came from the 13th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service, Indiana State Police, and FBI offices in Denver and Indianapolis. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Mease, as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide DOJ initiative dedicated to combating child sexual exploitation.

Project Safe Childhood, launched in 2006, brings together federal, state, and local resources to identify, apprehend, and prosecute those who prey on children. While Medina’s sentence offers some measure of justice, the fight against child exploitation continues. Anyone with information about suspected child abuse or exploitation is urged to contact the FBI or local law enforcement immediately. Resources are available; silence is not an option.