CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Six South Texas men face federal charges of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor following an undercover chat operation, Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck announced.
Authorities took the men into custody during enforcement actions this week. The suspects include 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 Anael Jossue Rodriguez-Rodas, 35, a Honduran national who illegally resided in Donna.
The men are charged in separate but related criminal complaints detailing an undercover operation from March 17 to March 19. The six men allegedly believed they were communicating with a 16-year-old girl through various online 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 each man went to the arranged place at the discussed 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 has 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 Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.
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