Juan Carlos Morales-Pedraza, a 35-year-old Mexican citizen who was born in Ecuador and had been deported from the United States in 2010, was sentenced today to 95 months in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor and for illegally re-entering the United States.
The 35-year-old Paterson, New Jersey, resident previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler to a superseding information charging him with coercion and enticement of a minor and of illegally re-entering the United States after having previously been deported.
Judge Chesler imposed the sentence by videoconference on Tuesday, July 13, 2021.
According to U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig, documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Morales Pedraza approached a 15-year-old victim in Passaic County on April 13, 2019.
Two days later, after engaging in sexual intercourse with the victim, Morales Pedraza and the victim left the New Jersey, with plans to travel to Illinois.
Morales Pedraza admitted that he planned to engage in sexual conduct with the victim in Illinois. Law enforcement arrested Morales Pedraza in Ohio.
Morales Pedraza admitted that he is a citizen of Mexico and that he illegally entered the United States after having previously been deported.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Chesler sentenced Morales Pedraza to three years of supervised release.
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