North Texas man sentenced to more than 24 years in federal prison for child sex-trafficking conspiracy involving a 12-year-old girl

DALLAS — A North Texas man was sentenced Friday to more than 24 years in federal prison for his role in a sex-trafficking conspiracy involving a 12-year-old girl.

U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas announced this sentence.  This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Irving (Texas) Police Department — both members of the North Texas Trafficking Taskforce.

Marcos Antonio Rodriguez-Mejia, aka, Brady Rodriguez-Cruz, 33, of Irving, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle to 293 months in federal prison on one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children, and also sentenced to 120 months for one count of possessing counterfeit documents.  Both sentences are to be served concurrently.

A federal jury convicted Rodriguez-Mejia in November 2015 for his role in the conspiracy. He also pleaded guilty to one count of possessing counterfeit documents. On Oct. 22, 2015, Luis Rivera, 19, also of Irving, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children.  Rivera is scheduled to be sentenced April 14.

In the conspiracy, Rodriguez-Cruz acted as the "john," and Rivera acted as the "pimp."  The government presented evidence at trial that from about Dec. 23 through Dec. 25, 2014, Rodriguez-Cruz and Rivera agreed to cause "Jane Doe," a 12-year-old child, to engage in a commercial sex act.

Rivera met Jane Doe in Irving, along with three other girls.  Shortly after he met the girls, Rivera learned that Jane Doe was 12 years old.  Rivera and his friends, including one minor friend, took the four girls to an empty apartment in Irving, where they stayed overnight.  The girls had no money, so they were not able to eat that day.

The next day, the group left the abandoned apartment and went to Rivera's minor friend's apartment. Rivera told the four girls that they needed to engage in commercial sex acts to earn money for food.  Rivera then made several phone calls seeking potential commercial sex customers for the girls.  He planned to charge $100 for sexual intercourse with one of the girls.  Rivera reached Rodriguez-Cruz who agreed to come to the location to engage in a commercial sex act.  Rodriguez-Cruz brought another man with him to the apartment.  Rivera told the four girls to line up so the men could select who they wanted to have sex with; Rodriguez-Cruz selected the youngest girl, 12-year-old Jane Doe.  Rodriguez-Cruz then negotiated the price for sex with a girl down to $50.  Shortly thereafter, he engaged in commercial sex acts with Jane Doe, paid Rivera and his minor male friend about $50, and hastily left.

The government also presented evidence at trial that on Aug. 28, 2015, when Irving Police Department officers executed a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Rodriguez-Cruz, they found him with an unlawfully obtained, counterfeit U.S. Permanent residence card.  That card was issued in another name but bore Rodriguez-Cruz's photograph.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cara Foos Pierce and John Kull, Northern District of Texas, prosecuted this case.

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.