February 2, 2009

Puerto Rican man found guilty for sexually enticing a minor following ICE investigation

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - A 28-year-old man from Toa Alta, Puerto Rico, was found guilty in federal court here Friday for sexually enticing a minor after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) investigation.

Eduardo Davila Nieves was arrested by ICE agents in the parking lot of Plaza Las Americas on Jan. 20, 2009 after an ICE investigation revealed that he engaged in sexually explicit conversations with a minor via chat forums and cellular phone in violation of Title 18 United States Code (USC), Section 2422(b).

"Possessing, manufacturing and distributing child pornography is a very serious crime as is the despicable act of enticing a minor into sexual conduct," said Manuel Oyola Torres, special agent in charge of ICE's Office of Investigations in Puerto Rico. "Predators should know that ICE, in partnership with other organizations, has the resources to identify child pornographers and those who sexually entice and hurt our children. We will not rest until we bring them to justice."

Davila-Nieves' was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service immediately after verdict.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jenifer Hernandez.

The arrest of Davila-Nieves was part of Operation Predator, a comprehensive ICE initiative aimed at those who prey on children, including human traffickers, international sex tourists, Internet pornographers, and foreign national predators whose crimes make them deportable. Since the initiative was launched in July of 2003, there have been more than 10,200 individuals arrested nationwide.

Additional information about Operation Predator is available on the Web at www.ice.gov. ICE encourages the reporting of suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. This hotline is staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.

-- ICE --

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was established in March 2003 as the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. ICE is comprised of five integrated divisions that form a 21st century law enforcement agency with broad responsibilities for a number of key homeland security priorities.

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