Shane Folden | IDGA.org
The U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently led an investigation that resulted in a 10-year prison sentence of a south Texas man for “catching a case” of sex tourism with a minor.
The ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Rio Grande Valley Child Exploitation Task Force led the investigation that resulted in the arrest of Carlos Daniel Uribe-Garza, 23, of Edinburg, Texas, according to an ICE news release. He was sentenced on March 21 to 121 months, which will be followed by five years of supervised release, according to the ICE news release.
“HSI remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who victimize the most vulnerable members of our society, our children,” Shane Folden, special agent in charge, HSI San Antonio, said in the news release.
The U.S. Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
| Photo courtesy of ICE
Once released, the ICE release noted that Uribe-Garza will also have to meet a number of requirements to ensure his access to children and also must register as a sex offender. In the release, Folden noted that increasing access to communication platforms means that HSI has to be one step ahead of people who would take advantage of technology to seek potential victims.
According to the ICE release, Uribe-Garza made phone calls and tried to persuade the victim not to cooperate with authorities. The release noted that after hearing from the victim’s mother, the judge determined that Uribe-Garza engaged in obstruction of justice.
However, the release noted that the judge learned that Uribe-Garza had a previous relationship with a 16-year-old girl. The ICE release noted that Uribe-Garza met the victim on her 15th birthday in Mexico and started to contact her on social media, pursing a sexual relationship with the minor that resulted in her becoming pregnant, prompting the court to label him a “repeat and dangerous sex offender against minors.” The release also noted that he told the court he only regretting trying to bring his victims into the U.S.
