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Press Release

Alamogordo man charged with coercion, trafficking and transportation of minors

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, announced that Alfonso Salcido Herrera, Jr., made an initial appearance in federal court on Dec. 12 on a criminal charging him with coercion and enticement of minors, sex trafficking of children, and transportation of minors. Herrera, 45, of Alamogordo, New Mexico, will remain in custody pending a preliminary and detention hearing scheduled for Dec. 20.

According to the complaint, beginning in 2018 and continuing into 2022, Herrera allegedly groomed and sexually abused at least four children who were between nine and 13 years old at the time of the abuse. Herrera allegedly used such “gifts” as vape pens, alcohol, sex toys and travel to coerce and entice the minor victims to engage in sexual acts with him. On various occasions, Herrera allegedly transported the victims from New Mexico into Texas and back for the purposes of engaging in sexual activities with the victims.

A complaint is only an allegation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Herrera faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated this case with assistance from the Alamogordo Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Joni Autrey Stahl and Matilda McCarthy Villalobos are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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 http://www.justice.gov/psc/.

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Updated December 13, 2022

Topic
Project Safe Childhood
Press Release Number: 22-275