Press Release
Cypress Man Sentenced for Enticement of a Minor via Messaging App
For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas
HOUSTON – A 34-year-old Cypress man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of coercion and enticement of a minor, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez. Christopher Ray Nunes pleaded guilty June 30, 2017.
Today, U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon took into consideration the facts and circumstances of the case, specifically that Nunes knew what he was doing was illegal and yet he still travelled to meet someone he believed to be a 15-year-old girl for sexual activity. She then imposed a 120-month term of imprisonment. Nunes was further ordered serve 10 years of supervised release following completion of his prison term, during which time he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the Internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
On Nov. 19 and 20, 2015, Nunes communicated through the texting application known as KIK with someone he believed to be a 15-year-old girl. During those conversations, he detailed his intended plans to engage in sexual acts with her.
On Nov. 20, 2015, Nunes drove from Cypress to Fort Bend County for the purpose of engaging in a sexual act with the girl. He was taken into custody upon his arrival. At the time of his arrest, Nunes was in possession of the phone on which the sexually explicit KIK chats occurred.
Nunes was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI and the Houston Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Zack is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Updated December 21, 2017
Topic
Project Safe Childhood
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