U.S. Attorney Jaime E. Esparza | U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney Jaime E. Esparza | U.S. Department of Justice
A Del Rio man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for coercion and enticement of a minor. Alejandro Zavala, 31, was found guilty after initiating contact with a 15-year-old on Snapchat and engaging in sexual acts with the minor.
Court documents reveal that Zavala communicated regularly with the minor, often discussing sexual topics. On two occasions, he engaged in sexual activities with the child. During one of these incidents, the child was reported missing, leading investigators from the Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office to locate and interview the victim.
Zavala was arrested by federal authorities on October 29, 2021, and pleaded guilty on September 26, 2022.
U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas announced the sentencing. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rex Beasley prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project aims to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet while also identifying and rescuing victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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