Santa Ana Man Sentenced to 15.5 Years in Prison for Attempted Online Enticement of a Minor for Sexual Purposes

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Marcos Lucero, 32, of Santa Ana, was sentenced today to 15 years and six months in prison for attempted online enticement of a minor for sexual purposes, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, Lucero asked an 11-year-old girl for explicit pictures, and she sent them to him via a social media application. Lucero continued communicating with her when, unbeknownst to Lucero, an undercover law enforcement agent took over the minor victim’s account. Lucero suggested meeting up for sex, and on Sept. 15, 2021, he traveled from Santa Ana to Fresno to have sex with the 11-year-old.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Yang prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.