Steven Lopez, Coercing a Child via the Internet, Texas 2021

State: Texas
Category: Sex Crimes|Cybercrime
Source: <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/pr/local-man-sent-prison-targeting-children-instagram" style="color:#cc0000;" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">DOJ Press Release ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â‚¬Â Ã¢â‚¬â€

Corpus Christi, TX – A 31-year-old Corpus Christi resident has been ordered to federal prison for coercing a child via the internet in order to have sex with her, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

Steven Lopez pleaded guilty on November 8, 2021.

Today, U.S. District Court Judge Drew B. Tipton ordered him to serve a total of 151 months in federal prison. Lopez will also serve the rest of his life on supervised release following completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet.

In imposing the sentence, the court also heard evidence that Lopez continued to communicate with minors while awaiting further criminal proceedings. He must also register as a sex offender and pay restitution to identified victims.

In July 2019, law enforcement learned Lopez had sexually abused a minor and eventually apprehended him. At that time, they seized his cell phone which revealed that Lopez used social media to target a minor for the purpose of having sex. Lopez had also attempted to hide his criminal conduct by deleting certain messages. However, forensic analysis yielded multiple instances of incriminating content.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Molly K. Smith and Dennis E. Robinson prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

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