In El Paso, 42-year-old Antonio Escobedo was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for enticement of a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and production of child pornography announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Douglas E. Lindquist, El Paso Division.

In addition to the prison term, Senior United States District Judge David Briones ordered that Escobedo placed on supervised release for a period of ten years after completing his prison term.

On July 7, 2015, Escobedo pleaded guilty to two enticement charges and two child pornography production charges. By pleading guilty, Escobedo admitted that on two separate occasions—December 5, 2103, and August 13, 2014—he produced visual depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Escobedo also admitted that from December 2014 to March 2015, he used e-mail and texting applications, including his online Kik account, in an attempt to entice or coerce two individuals, whom Escobedo believed to be minors, into engaging in sexual activity.

Escobedo has remained in federal custody since his arrest by FBI agents on March 24, 2015.

This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rifian Newaz.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ 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 exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.