South Texas man convicted of using child relative to find sex abuse victim

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MCALLEN, Texas - A South Texas man has received federal prison time for a child sex abuse scheme in which he used a minor relative to find a find another minor he solicited for sex. 

The convict was found to have offered the girl money and drugs in exchange for illegal sexual favors. 

South Texas child sex crimes

Rogelio Pruneda III, 29, of Hidalgo, was sentenced to nine years in federal prison after pleading guilty to his offenses in June. He was charged with distributing videos of sexual activity to a minor.

The court found that those videos were of his actions with the minor he recruited through the help of his minor relative, which he sent to the victim who he sexually abused, according to the release from U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Prundeda was found to have engaged in similar inappropriate behavior with the relative who he used in his scheme, the court found. 

According to court documents, the family member victim told the minor she helped recruit that Pruneda would treat her as a "sugar daddy." 

Pruneda was further ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to the victim and will serve five years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Pruneda will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.

‘Dangerous and calculating’

What they're saying:

"Pruneda sought out a victim online and plied her with offers of money and other goods. This methodical plan demonstrates just how dangerous and calculating he is," said Ganjei. "The Southern District of Texas will do whatever it takes to protect the innocence of the children of our community and punish—to the maximum extent the law allows—those who take that innocence away."

What's next:

Pruneda has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future, the release says.