David Montelongo Jailed for Attempting to Meet 13-Year-Old Online

David Montelongo, a 27-year-old man from McAllen, Texas, is headed to federal prison after attempting to meet a 13-year-old girl he groomed through a social media app. The crime wasn’t impulsive—it unfolded over weeks of calculated digital contact, where Montelongo discussed explicit sexual acts and his intent to take the girl’s virginity.

On June 24, Montelongo pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. U.S. District Judge Randy Crane handed down a 120-month sentence, emphasizing the premeditated nature of the offense and Montelongo’s clear understanding that his actions were criminal. The judge made no concessions for remorse or spontaneity—this was a predatory pattern, not a momentary lapse.

The investigation began January 21, when Montelongo initiated contact with an individual he believed to be a minor female. Through direct messages, he escalated conversations to graphic sexual propositions and arranged to meet her at a McAllen park. What he didn’t know: the ‘teen’ was an undercover law enforcement officer.

When Montelongo arrived at the park on March 10, he spotted authorities and bolted. He didn’t get far. Agents apprehended him shortly after. Since then, he’s remained in federal custody, awaiting transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

As part of his sentence, Montelongo will serve five years of supervised release with strict conditions limiting his access to children. He will also be required to register as a sex offender for life—a public record of his crime and a warning to the community.

The case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations – Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Investigations Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Mitchell under Project Safe Childhood, a DOJ initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation. The operation underscores the federal government’s aggressive pursuit of predators who use social media to target minors.