Armando Rafael Mascorro, a 36-year-old from El Paso, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempting to entice a minor knowing she was 14 years old. However, “she” was actually an undercover agent in an operation that works to protect children from exploitation.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff announced Mascorro’s sentencing in a press release from the Department of Justice (DOJ) on March 2.
After Mascorro’s 10 years have been served, he will serve 5 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
Mascorro was born in Mexico but has U.S. citizenship. At the time of the crime, April 24, 2021, he lived in El Paso.
Court documents show that he engaged in communication with a 14-year-old girl through a social media messaging platform called “MeetMe.” However, the 14-year-old was actually an undercover law enforcement officer as part of Operation April Fools.
The conversations illustrate proof of his intentions to engage in sexual activity with the minor while being well aware of her age.
Mascorro and the minor established a plan to meet in person at a residence, according to the El Paso Times. Mascorro parked his vehicle in the driveway and knocked on the front door, only to be greeted by authorities, who arrested him.
Mascorro confessed to being attracted to younger females and pleaded guilty in an El Paso federal court on October 7, 2021 to one count of attempting to entice a minor.
Hoff said, “While the internet can be an important educational tool for our nation’s youth, there are bad actors who corrupt its purpose, attempting to harm and exploit children online. These prosecutions are crucial in making the internet safer for children.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Winters as part of Project Safe Childhood. Launched by the DOJ in May 2006, Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide effort to address the epidemic of child abuse and sexual exploitation.
Project Safe Childhood is led by the U.S. Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and U.S. Attorney’s Offices. Together, they utilize resources from federal, state, and local agencies to help locate, arrest, and prosecute individuals who engage in such crimes, as well as identify and rescue victims.
According to the El Paso Herald-Post, agencies came together on April 23 and 24 of 2021 for Operation April Fools, a mission to uncover criminals who engage in sexual coercion and enticement of minors.
Operation April Fools was conducted through a collaboration between: Homeland Security Investigations; the FBI’s Violent Crimes Against Children Squad; the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Investigations Division; the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas; and the El Paso Police Department, District Attorney’s Office, and County Constable’s Office, Precincts One, Four, and Six.
There were over sixty-seven undercover agents working within the operation. Authorities located suspects, issued search warrants, and arrested four individuals. Charges for the suspects ranged from attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to possession of a visual depiction involving the sexual exploitation of a minor.
Along with Mascorro, 30-year-old Justin Allen Thomas, 34-year-old Carlos Adan Hernandez, and 38-year-old Genaro Dominguez were arrested.
“[These agents’] dedicated mission to protect the children of our community helped us stop an individual who attempted to meet a 14-year-old girl, whom he met via social media, for sex,” said El Paso Field Office’s FBI Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey R. Downey after Mascorro’s conviction.
He continued, “This case reminds all of us to remain vigilant about our children’s online behavior and social media presence. We encourage parents to speak with their children about the dangers of online predators who use popular apps, games, and websites and to report any suspicious activity to law enforcement.”
