A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper stationed in Laredo has been indicted on a federal charge accusing him of attempting to lure a child he thought was 12 years old into sexual activity.
Christian Estrada faces one count of coercion and enticement of a minor, according to records from the Southern District of Texas. The alleged activity spanned from around April 1, 2025, to January 8, 2026. Conviction would carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and could result in a life sentence.
The investigation started in April 2025 after an FBI undercover employee contacted a user known as “dopehound” across Reddit, Snapchat, and Telegram. Over several months, the individual expressed interest in the agent’s fictional 12-year-old daughter, talked about meeting her, and asked repeatedly for explicit images.
The user also claimed he had previously had sex with a 13-year-old in a neighboring city. He separately told people on Reddit that he was a police officer with 16 years on the job who lived in Laredo, close to Shiloh Drive and International Boulevard. Those details aligned with Estrada’s employment and home location, investigators found. IP address records from the Reddit account also pointed to his residence.
In late November 2025, the user asked to speak directly with the supposed 12-year-old and shared a Snapchat username. He then began messaging who he believed was the girl, steering the conversation toward sexual topics and requesting more explicit images.
A subpoena response from Reddit in mid-December helped authorities connect the account to Estrada. On January 8, 2026, agents searched his home and questioned him. During the interview, he acknowledged that personal details linked to the Reddit profile — such as his high school, graduation year, age, address, and name — were his. He also confirmed that “dopehound” was his Telegram username.
When shown chat screenshots, Estrada said he didn’t remember the exchanges but agreed that nobody else at his home could have sent them. Faced with evidence tying the activity to his information and address, he told agents, “Do what you gotta do,” the Laredo Morning Times reported.
A review of his seized phone uncovered multiple Snapchat conversations with individuals who said they were 14 or 15 years old. One contact was listed under the name “15 for older.”
Estrada was arrested the following day. He is married and has two children, ages 16 and 12. He proposed living by himself on a family ranch if granted bond, but a magistrate judge ordered him detained after a January 21 hearing. The judge cited the strength of the evidence from the undercover operation and determined that no release conditions could adequately protect the public.
A federal grand jury returned the indictment on February 3. It also seeks forfeiture of a black tablet if he is convicted.
Estrada remains in federal custody with no trial date set. The Texas Department of Public Safety did not immediately return a request for comment.
