Salinas Man Charged With Attempted Enticement Of A Minor

SAN JOSE – A federal grand jury today indicted Edy Antonio, Jr., 30, of Salinas, Calif., on one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual conduct.

Antonio was initially charged by criminal complaint on May 13, 2025, with the same offense.  According to the indictment and the criminal complaint, Antonio allegedly used or attempted to use his cell phone to persuade, induce, and entice two minors to engage in criminal sexual conduct.  On April 21, 2025, Antonio responded to an advertisement on a website dedicated to promoting commercial sex services. The advertisement depicted two minors whom Antonio believed to be a 12-year-old and a 14-year-old.  Antonio allegedly responded via text message and agreed to pay $500 to engage in sexual conduct with the minor girls.  Thereafter, Antonio traveled to the planned meeting location at a hotel in Salinas, where he was arrested by Salinas Police Department officers.  The complaint describes that Antonio worked as a respiratory therapist at two hospitals in Salinas and Monterey.

United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Tatum King made the announcement.  

Antonio was arrested in Salinas on May 20, 2025, and made an initial appearance in federal court that same day.  He was released on bond.  Antonio is next scheduled to appear in district court on June 10, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen.  

An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of life in prison and a fine of $250,000 for the violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b).  Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Chang is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Natachiana Burney and Susan Kreider.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by HSI and the Salinas Police Department.