A fugitive was in federal court in Los Angeles on Monday for an initial appearance following his arrest earlier this month in Arizona on charges including the attempted enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity and possession of child sexual abuse material.

Christopher Michael Loza, 47, also known by his online moniker of "ChrisLewd," was charged in the two-count indictment filed in United States District Court in Los Angeles in January 2024 following an investigation by the Ventura County Child Exploitation Task Force. Investigators conducted an undercover operation during which Loza allegedly made contact in an online chatroom with someone he believed to be a 15-year-old female. During the conversation, Loza allegedly made several comments indicating that he wanted to engage in sexual activities with the victim, who was actually an undercover officer.

According to the federal indictment, Loza sent messages, including, "How old are u...I’m 45. Is that ok?" Loza is alleged to have asked via text whether he could come to the minor’s house, followed by a series of lewd sexual messages, including questioning whether "to get condoms." The indictment further alleges that Loza drove to a park in Camarillo to meet the minor and that he knowingly possessed a flash drive that contained child pornography which involved prepubescent minors and minors under the age of 12.

Loza was initially arrested in 2023 on state charges filed by the Ventura County District Attorney and released on bail. After failing to appear for his arraignment on the state charges of communicating with a minor with the intent to commit sexual acts and
arranging to meet a child for sexual acts, members of the Task Force made attempts to locate Loza but determined he may have fled.

On August 02, 2024, Officers with the Repeat Offender Program at the Phoenix Police Department (PD) came into contact with Loza during their outreach and enforcement efforts. While identifying city and state code violations, Phoenix PD conducted a records check on Loza, discovered his outstanding warrant, and took Loza into custody after Loza attempted to flee. Loza was later turned over to Agents with the FBI’s Phoenix Division and was transported to Los Angeles by the United States Marshals Service for federal prosecution.

During his initial appearance on Monday, the court granted the government’s request for detention and Loza was remanded to federal custody. A trial date has been set for October 7. If convicted of the charges in the indictment, Loza faces a statutory maximum sentence of life in prison.

This case was investigated by the Ventura County Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force which is comprised of investigators and prosecutors with the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office; the Ventura County Sheriff's Office; the Simi Valley Police Department; the Oxnard Police Department; the Ventura Police Department; the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office; the California Highway Patrol; the FBI’s Ventura Resident Agency; and United States Attorney’s Office. The Task Force is committed to identifying, rescuing, and protecting children from sexual exploitation and abuse through education, enforcement and through partnerships with local, state, and federal agencies. The FBI’s Phoenix Field Office and the Phoenix Police Department assisted with the transport of Loza.

The United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles is prosecuting the case against Loza.