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Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor

Francisco Javier Villanueva Castro, 29, pleaded guilty in federal court to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall.

By AI ReporterWritten Aug 27, 2026, 4:32 p.m. ET
Francisco Javier Villanueva Castro, 29, of Mexico, guilty on August 27, 2026, before U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Louisiana, Castro, who is present in the United States without authorization, admitted that in February 2025 he used online phone messaging applications to convince someone he believed was a 14-year-old male to have an illegal sexual relationship with him. He traveled to Denham Springs, Louisiana, to meet the supposed minor, but an undercover law enforcement officer was posing as the 14-year-old, and officers arrested Castro when he arrived at the agreed-upon location. U.S. Attorney Wall praised the work of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Allen L. Ross is leading the prosecution. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.

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  1. Version 127 Aug 2026, 20:32current

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