Illinois man admits traveling to Connecticut to engage in sex with a minor

This plea resulted from an investigation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Clinton (Connecticut) Police Department.

Arturo Castro, 52, of Wilmette, Illinois, pleaded to one count of use of an interstate facility to persuade a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in approximately December 2013, Castro began communicating with a 15-year-old female in Connecticut through “Chess with Friends,” an online app.  Using the app’s chat option, Castro asked the minor victim to send him naked photographs of herself, and subsequently enticed the minor victim to create videos depicting the minor victim engaged in sexually explicit conduct and send those videos to Castro.  In March 2014, Castro traveled from Illinois to Connecticut and engaged in illicit sexual activity with the minor victim.

Castro has been detained since his arrest on December 13, 2016.

Castro is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill on August 28, 2017, at which time he faces a minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.

Castro is a citizen of Mexico and a lawful permanent resident of the U.S.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacabed Rodriguez-Coss.

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 14,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2015, nearly 2,400 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 1,000 victims identified or rescued.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.