BRIDGEPORT, CT – Arturo Castro, 52, of Wilmette, Illinois, has admitted to crossing state lines to prey on a Connecticut teenager. Castro pleaded guilty yesterday in Bridgeport federal court to one count of use of an interstate facility to persuade a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity – a charge that carries a potentially life-altering sentence.
According to court documents, the depravity began in December 2013. Castro initiated contact with a 15-year-old girl in Connecticut via the online app “Chess with Friends.” What started as a seemingly innocuous connection quickly devolved into a predatory scheme. Castro allegedly used the app’s chat function to solicit nude photographs from the victim. He didn’t stop there. Court records state he then coerced the minor into creating and sending sexually explicit videos directly to him.
The virtual grooming culminated in a terrifying real-world encounter. In March 2014, Castro traveled from his home in Illinois to Connecticut and engaged in illicit sexual activity with the victim. The details of the encounter remain sealed, but the damage inflicted on the young woman is undeniable. Castro remained free for over two years before being apprehended on December 13, 2016, and has been detained ever since.
United States Attorney Deirdre M. Daly’s office is prosecuting the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacabed Rodriguez-Coss leading the charge. Castro now faces a minimum of 10 years behind bars, and potentially a life sentence, when U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill delivers the sentence on August 28, 2017. The defendant is a citizen of Mexico and a lawful permanent resident of the United States, raising questions about potential deportation following his imprisonment.
The investigation was a joint effort between Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in both New Haven and Chicago, and the Clinton (Conn.) Police Department. This case is part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, a nationwide program dedicated to protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. Anyone with information regarding child exploitation is urged to report it to the CyberTipline at www.cybertipline.com.
Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the sentencing. The prosecution of predators like Arturo Castro serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat to vulnerable children and the critical importance of vigilance and reporting. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Key Facts
- State: Connecticut
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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