Florida Man Facing Charges Of Coercion And Enticement Of A Minor

A 26-year-old Florida man is currently facing charges that he attempted to persuade, coerce, and induce a 15-year-old girl into a sexual encounter. Christopher Nunez was recently arrested in Miami, FL. He will be charged by the federal government and hence will face federal charges in relation to the crime.

According to federal authorities, Nunez used social media sites like Snapchat and Discord to contact a minor identified as Victim-1. At some point, Nunez used one of those platforms to persuade Victim-1 to meet him for the purposes of sexual activity. Nunez traveled from Florida to New York State to meet with Victim-1 and engage in sexual activity.

Nunez is facing one count of coercion and enticement. Federal law requires that those convicted of this crime be sentenced to a mandatory minimum of 15 years. The maximum penalty for coercion and enticement is life in prison.

Coercion and enticement: What is it? 

This statute has several elements. Firstly, the individual found guilty of coercion and enticement must be engaging in some form of illegal sex act. This can include prostitution but is more frequently used to catch pedophiles who are attempting to cruise the internet for victims. So, the sex act must be illegal. In cases where the prostitute is over the age of 18, the victim cannot be imprisoned for more than 20 years. If the victim is under the age of 18, then the sentencing guidelines begin to skyrocket.

Anyone who crosses state lines to actuate a sexual encounter with a minor is guilty of coercion or inducement of a minor. The penalty, in that case, would be a mandatory minimum of 10 years imprisonment with a maximum term of life in prison.

Building the case 

In most of the cases you hear about in the news, the established facts are drawn from communications between the defendant and the victim. The police will have access to any and all of the conversations between the two and these will be presented at trial to convince a jury that the sole reason the defendant left his home state of Florida was to engage in illegal sexual activity with a minor. Additional charges may be added. It is typical in these cases for the police to catch one perpetrator through one victim only to find that there are several more victims who never reported the incident to police. Once communications between the victim and the defendant establish the defendant’s purpose for traveling interstate, there’s not much more you have to prove. Typical defenses to this crime include mistaken identity, identity theft, or that the defendant never made the effort to meet the victim in person.

Talk to a Tampa Federal Defense Attorney Today 

The Matassini Law Firm represents the interests of those facing criminal charges in federal court. Call our Tampa criminal attorneys today to schedule an appointment and we can begin building your defense immediately.

Resource:

justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/26-year-old-florida-man-charged-coercion-and-enticement-minor