Las Cruces man charged with using internet in attempt to entice minor into sex

            ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Robert Jasso, 23, of Las Cruces, New Mexico, appeared in federal court on Aug. 25 for a detention hearing on charges of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor child, attempted production of child pornography and attempted solicitation of child pornography. Jasso will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled at this time.

            According to a federal criminal complaint, on July 18 Jasso allegedly used the social networking application Skout to contact what he thought was a 13-year-old girl. The complaint alleges, Jasso then attempted to entice the person he thought was a minor to travel to him to engage in sexual activity. Jasso later allegedly asked the person he thought was a minor to recruit another minor to engage in sexual activity with the two of them. Jasso allegedly requested that the person he thought was a minor send him sexually explicit photographs that would constitute child pornography.

            After additional conversations, according to the complaint, on Aug. 14 Jasso travelled to a location near Sonoma Elementary School in Doña Ana County, New Mexico, where he expected to meet two 13-year-old girls to engage in sexual activity and was arrested.

            A criminal complaint is only an accusation.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Jasso faces 5 to 20 years in prison for attempted solicitation of child pornography, 15 to 30 years for attempted production of child pornography and 10 years to life for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor child.

            The FBI investigated this case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Matilda McCarthy Villalobos is prosecuting the case.