U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations arrested Federico Pascual-Jimenez, a 34-year-old Mexican national, on felony charges of enticement of a minor for indecent purposes and illegal re-entry in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, according to a July 21 statement from the Department of Homeland Security.
In May 2026, an ICE law enforcement officer conducted an undercover operation targeting individuals using the internet to prey on children. The officer posed as a 14-year-old girl and exchanged text messages with Pascual-Jimenez. During these exchanges, Pascual-Jimenez responded to references about the “child’s” age by saying, “I think age doesn’t matter.” He later sent texts describing his intentions to have sex with a minor and made requests such as “don’t tex[t] you[r] age you know” and “delete that text now.”
On May 27, Pascual-Jimenez arranged to meet the person he believed was a 14-year-old girl at the parking lot of a public swimming pool in Sioux Falls. Upon arrival, HSI officers arrested him without incident. His criminal history includes a prior conviction for driving under the influence.
Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said, “This sicko was arrested after repeatedly sending sexual texts to someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl. His criminal history includes a conviction for driving under the influence, and he has been deported FIVE times in the past. ICE has lodged a detainer asking officials in South Dakota to commit to not releasing this pedophile from jail and cooperate with ICE, so that we can remove him from our country and make sure he’ll never prey on another innocent child in our country again.”
Pascual-Jimenez first entered the United States illegally through Arizona in 2001 before being voluntarily returned to Mexico. He subsequently re-entered through Texas in April 2012 and departed voluntarily again. In May of that year, he entered twice through California—his second entry being classified as a felony—and was deported both times. He entered again through Texas in July 2012 before being deported once more in August that year. According to authorities, his most recent entry occurred at an unknown date and location.