Omaha Man Sentenced for Child Enticement

United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Luis Tobar, age 44, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced in federal court in Omaha for Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor. The Honorable Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Tobar to 120 months’ imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  Tobar will begin a 5-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison. After completing his prison term, Tobar, a nation from El Salvador, will likely be deported.

On April 12, 2019, the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force (CEHTTF) was conducting an operation in Douglas County, Nebraska. As part of the operation, an undercover officer with the CEHTTF posted an advertisement on an escort website used to facilitate prostitution. Tobar responded to the advertisement and engaged in communications with an undercover officer who he believed to be a 15-year-old female. Believing that he was communicating with a 15-year-old female, Tobar requested that she send him nude pictures, agreed to pay her for sex, and traveled to an agreed upon location to meet her. Tobar was arrested by members of the CEHTTF and at the time of his arrest was found to be in possession of the cellular phone he used to communicate with the undercover officer, a large monetary sum, and alcohol.  Tobar was convicted after a jury trial.

U.S. Attorney Joe Kelly thanked the efforts of the FBI and the local law enforcement agencies who work diligently to stop human trafficking and especially those who specifically see to exploit minors.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

This case was investigated by the FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Lincoln Police Department, Omaha Police Department, LaVista Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, Council Bluffs Police Department, and the Sarpy Douglas County Law Enforcement Academy participated in the April 12, 2019 operation.