Byron H. Montijo-Maysonet, a 31-year-old man from Puerto Rico, was convicted Monday on multiple counts of child exploitation following a three-day jury trial in San Juan. The verdict, reached after just two hours of deliberation, marks a grim end to a case involving the predatory grooming and transportation of underage girls for sexual purposes. Montijo-Maysonet now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years behind bars.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico, led by Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez, announced the conviction of Montijo-Maysonet on one count of coercion and enticement of a minor and four counts of transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity with a minor. United States District Court Judge Francisco A. Besosa presided over the proceedings, where evidence painted a harrowing picture of manipulation and exploitation targeting middle school students.
According to trial testimony, on November 24, 2015, Montijo-Maysonet and co-defendant Luis Meléndez-Ramos abducted two minors — one 13-year-old girl and one 14-year-old girl — directly from their middle school in Manatí, Puerto Rico. The pair transported the children to a motel in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico, with the explicit intent to engage in sexual acts. Investigators revealed that the defendants used an internet instant messaging service to lure one of the victims, exploiting digital access to breach the safety of minors.
Days later, on November 30, 2015, the pattern repeated. The defendants returned to the same school and picked up two 13-year-old girls, again transporting them to the same motel for sexual activity. Prosecutors detailed how the online manipulation continued, with messages designed to coerce one minor into bringing another underage girl into the trap, deepening the reach of their criminal enterprise.
“This conviction shows the commitment of our state and federal law enforcement agencies to apprehend and prosecute criminals whose crimes victimize children,” said U.S. Attorney Rodríguez-Vélez. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico will continue to prosecute sexual predators in order to protect the vulnerable victims of these crimes, our children.” The case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas W. Cannon and Ginette Milanes, who secured a swift and decisive outcome.
Montijo-Maysonet’s sentencing is scheduled for June 6, 2018. He remains in federal custody pending that date. The case underscores the persistent threat posed by predators using technology to target minors, and the federal government’s aggressive stance in dismantling such criminal conduct in Puerto Rico and beyond.
Related Federal Cases
- William Javier Vega-Valentín, Carlos Borrero-Vélez Arrested in Ponce Child Exploitation Case · Puerto Rico
- CBP Officer Alfredo Maysonet-Galarza Indicted for Child Pornography · Puerto Rico
- Arecibo Teacher Busted in Child Exploitation Case · Puerto Rico
- Vega Alta Man Charged with Child Exploitation · Puerto Rico
- Aguadilla Man Indicted for Child Exploitation · Puerto Rico
Key Facts
- State: Puerto Rico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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