Charles Ray Benavidez, Sex Trafficking of a Minor, California 2013

Fresno, California – In a disturbing case of sex trafficking, former US Naval Air Station employee Charles Ray Benavidez, 33, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for sex trafficking of a minor.

Benavidez, who was stationed at the US Naval Air Station in Lemoore, California, was sentenced by United States District Judge Anthony W. Ishii on April 24, 2014. He had pleaded guilty to the charge on January 6, 2014.

According to court documents, in April 2013, Benavidez knowingly recruited a 17-year-old female to engage in commercial sex acts in Kings and Tulare Counties. He was charged with sex trafficking of a minor and has been in federal custody since May 23, 2013.

The case was the product of an investigation by the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task force, specifically the Fresno U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), as well as the Porterville, Tulare and Lemoore police departments.

Assistant United States Attorney Brian W. Enos prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the US government to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

“For most people, criminal acts against children are impossible to comprehend, but for the children who have been sexually exploited, these crimes are all too real,” said Mike Prado, resident agent in charge of HSI Fresno.

The case highlights the need for continued efforts to prevent and prosecute sex trafficking, particularly when it involves minors. As part of its efforts, the HSI will continue to work tirelessly to ensure child predators and sex traffickers receive the justice they deserve.

This case serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and cooperation in the fight against sex trafficking and child exploitation.

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