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Press Release

Stephenville Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Enticing a Minor Female to Engage in Sexual Activity

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Texas

FORT WORTH, Texas — A Stephenville, Texas, resident, Kristopher Ray Facio, 26, was sentenced this morning by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor to 480 months in federal prison, following his guilty plea in April 2017 to an information charging one count of attempted coercion and enticement, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.

Facio has been in federal custody since his arrest in February 2017.

“Those who think it’s okay to fish the internet for children to victimize with their despicable sexual behavior should be given a very long time to re-think that practice,” said U.S. Attorney Parker. “These heinous crimes are deserving of significant sentences.”

 

According to documents filed in the case, from November 27, 2016 until December 4, 2016, Facio used the social media application, Instagram, on his cell phone to identify and communicate with a minor female who lived in Arkansas. During their chats, the minor told Facio she was under the age of eighteen. Facio continued to engage in sexually explicit communications. During their communications, Facio asked for sexually explicit images of the minor.

 

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”

 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Erath County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Saleem was in charge of the prosecution.

 

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Contact

Lisa Slimak
214-659-8600
Lisa.Slimak@usdoj.gov

Updated August 15, 2017

Topic
Project Safe Childhood