Texas Man Allegedly Flees to Meet Minor He Met Online

A 60-year-old man from Presidio, Texas, is facing federal charges after allegedly traveling to Oregon to engage in sexual conduct with a minor he met online.

According to a complaint filed by the U.S. Department of Justice, Steven Worth Ellis was charged with traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, attempting to sexually exploit a child, and coercing and enticing a minor.

Court documents reveal that Ellis met the 15-year-old victim on the online forum Reddit in late May 2024. The two allegedly engaged in frequent, sexually explicit communication for at least a month, with Ellis making plans to travel from Texas to Oregon to meet the child.

Ellis had an active vacation rental reservation for a residence near the child’s home, but his plans were foiled when investigators from Homeland Security Investigations and the Portland Police Bureau tracked his movements and intercepted him in The Dalles, Oregon. Ellis was subsequently arrested and made his initial appearance in federal court in Portland.

Ellis was ordered detained pending further court proceedings. The case is being prosecuted by Mira Chernick, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Anyone with information about the physical or online exploitation of children is encouraged to contact Homeland Security Investigations at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.