CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck announced six South Texas men face charges of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor following an undercover chat operation.
Authorities took Porfirio Palacios, 46, of San Juan; Ricardo De La Rosa, 54, of Pharr; Colin Alexander McLean, 21, of McAllen; Antonio Basaldua Rocha, 23, of Edinburg; Henry Martinez Lopez, 53, of Rio Grande City; and Honduran national Anael Jossue Rodriguez-Rodas, 35, who illegally resided in Donna, into custody during enforcement actions this week.
The charges stem from separate but related criminal complaints detailing an undercover chat operation from March 17 to March 19. The six men allegedly believed they were communicating with a 16-year-old girl through various social media applications. The charges allege the conversations discussed engaging in sexual activities.
According to the complaints, the men enticed the minor to meet up with them to have sex. The charges allege that each man went to the agreed-upon location at the agreed-upon time and waited for the girl to arrive.
McLean, Lopez, and Rodriguez-Rodas are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Juan F. Alanis at 9 a.m. De La Rosa and Rocha are expected to appear on March 23. Palacios already made his initial appearance and is set for a probable cause and detention hearing on March 23 at 2 p.m.
If convicted, all six face a mandatory minimum of 10 years' imprisonment and a possible $250,000 fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from the Edinburg Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys M. Alexis Garcia, Sarina S. DiPiazza, and Alexa D. Parcell are prosecuting the cases. The cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section lead the initiative, which marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identify and rescue victims.
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