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El Paso Man Arrested on Federal Child Exploitation Charges
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Juan Carlos Hernandez, 44, of El Paso, Texas, made his initial appearance in Las Cruces federal court on a criminal complaint charging him with online enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity and interstate travel to meet a minor with the intent to engage in illicit sexual activity.
Hernandez remains in custody pending a preliminary hearing and detention hearing, which have yet to be scheduled.
The investigation revealed that Hernandez met the child victim on an Internet social networking website in September 2012, and the two began communicating regularly through text messaging on cellphones in May 2013.
Hernandez was arrested on state charges in the early hours of June 22, 2013, after Deputies of the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office found him with the child victim at a park in Anthony, N.M.
In July 2013, HSI obtained federal search warrants for the cellphones seized from Hernandez and the child victim on June 22, 2013. Information obtained through the search warrants revealed that Hernandez allegedly engaged in sexually explicit communication with the child victim.
If convicted on the online solicitation charge, Hernandez faces a mandatory minimum of ten years to life in prison. If convicted on the interstate travel charge, Hernandez faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of HSI, the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office and the Las Cruces Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa A. Lizarraga as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
The case also was brought as part of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force’s mission, which is to locate, track, and capture Internet child sexual predators and Internet child pornographers in New Mexico.
Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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