A 31-year-old Edinburg resident has been sent to prison for coercing a minor on Snapchat, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
Santos Emilio Marcial-Castro pleaded guilty on August 29, 2023, to coercion and enticement of a minor. U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Marcial-Castro to serve 120 months in prison.
The sentence will be immediately followed by five years on supervised release during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his sentence. At the hearing, the court noted that despite the likelihood of his removal from the country, he still needed to follow all the conditions imposed on him and not re-enter the country illegally.
In April 2023, law enforcement had discovered numerous conversations between Marcial-Castro and a then 15-year-old minor. The investigation revealed he had been communicating with the victim from May 2021 to April 2023 via Snapchat.
Marcial-Castro was aware the victim was a minor. During their initial conversations, the child told him about her upcoming 14th birthday. Over the course of the next two years, Marcial-Castro sent sexually explicit messages to the victim and enticed the minor to send nude images on multiple occasions. He also told her about his desire to have sex with minors and specifically requested nude photos of the victim’s genitals.
Homeland Security Investigations – Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Investigations Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Related Federal Cases
- Snapchat Predator Sentenced to 10 Years for Coercing Minor · Texas
- Edinburg Man Carlos Benjamin Martinez Convicted in Child Porn Case · Massachusetts
- Royce Wade Lander Convicted in Minor Sex Trafficking Case · New Mexico
- Texas Man Gets 20 Years for Luring Minor Online · Texas
- Brazoria Man Sentenced to Life for Coercing Nude Photos from 13-Year-Old · Texas
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Sex CrimesSex CrimesSex CrimesSex Crimes