Source: US FBI
McALLEN, Texas – A 29-year-old Rio Grande Valley resident has been sentenced for distributing videos of sexual activity to a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Rogelio Pruneda III pleaded guilty June 2.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Pruneda to serve 108 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard testimony from the victim’s parent asking for Pruneda to be held accountable and receive the appropriate treatment. The court also heard about Pruneda engaging in similar conduct with a minor relative and that he used that relationship to locate and recruit the victim into exchanging goods for sex. In handing down the prison term, the court found Pruneda attempted to obstruct justice by attempting to contact witnesses in the investigation. The court noted the age gap between Pruneda and the victim.
Pruneda was further ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to the victim and will serve five years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Pruneda will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
The investigation revealed Pruneda used a minor relative to find the female victim. The family member told the victim he would treat her like a “sugar daddy.”
From approximately July through October 2022, Pruneda utilized Facebook Messenger to contact the minor female victim. He offered her money and THC vape cartridges in exchange for sexual acts which he subsequently recorded. Pruneda later sent two of the videos to her.
The victim’s parent discovered the relationship and reported it to authorities.
The minor female confirmed the videos depicted sex acts between herself and Pruneda in his vehicle.
“Here, Pruneda sought out a victim online and plied her with offers of money and other goods. This methodical plan demonstrates just how dangerous and calculating he is,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas will do whatever it takes to protect the innocence of the children of our community and punish—to the maximum extent the law allows—those who take that innocence away.”
Pruneda has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Hidalgo Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexa D. Parcell is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.