An Iowa man faces 30 years in federal prison after admitting to sexually abusing a child.
Juan Pablo Hernandez, 44, originally from El Salvador but living in Sioux City, was sentenced July 28 by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Leonard Strand, according to an Aug. 3 Immigration and Customs Enforcement news release. He also was sentenced to five years of supervised release after prison. The federal prison system does not offer the chance for parole.
“I struggle to find something more important than protecting the children in our community,” said Katherine Greer, special agent in charge of HSI Kansas City, according to the release. “I am extremely proud of the work by the agents and officers from both HSI and the Sioux City Police Department. Through our strong partnership, we are to bring justice to victims and remove dangerous individuals, like this, looking to harm children from our streets.”
Hernandez entered the guilty plea March 10, the release reported. Hernandez admitted to driving from South Sioux City, Neb., to Sioux City, Iowa, with a minor under the age of 12. He reportedly sexually assaulted the minor and took explicit photographs.
The conviction is a result of a joint investigation by agents with Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux City police department, according to the statement. The case was part of Project Safe Childhood, a national Department of Justice program "to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse," the release reported.
