Victorville Man Sentenced to 45 Years for Posing as Teenage Athlete to Exploit Girls on Instagram

VICTORVILLE, Calif. — A San Bernardino County man was sentenced May 13 in Los Angeles federal court to 540 months in prison for sexually exploiting two teenage girls he met on Instagram, including by posing as a teenage boy and transporting one victim from San Luis Obispo County to Mexico for illicit sexual activity.

The defendant, identified in the Justice Department release as a Victorville resident, targeted the two minors through Instagram accounts that falsely presented him as a teenage football player. He persuaded both girls to enter sexual relationships under that pretense.

In one case he drove the victim from San Luis Obispo County across the border into Mexico where he engaged in additional sexual exploitation. The conduct violated federal statutes prohibiting sexual exploitation of children and transportation of a minor for illegal sexual activity.

The sentence imposes 45 years of incarceration followed by lifetime supervised release that includes mandatory sex-offender registration. Both victims qualify for full restitution covering any losses tied to the offenses; the court has not yet issued a specific restitution figure.

The case now moves to the Federal Bureau of Prisons for designation of a facility where the defendant will begin serving the term immediately. Upon completion of the prison sentence, the lifetime supervised-release conditions will activate, restricting his internet use, proximity to minors, and travel.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California handled prosecution; investigators included the FBI and local law-enforcement agencies that traced the Instagram accounts and travel records.

This sentencing concludes one of multiple federal cases in the Central District involving adults who used social-media platforms to impersonate minors for sexual exploitation. The original complaint and plea agreement were filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California under seal until the Justice Department issued its May 13 release detailing the conduct and penalty.