A Texas man has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for coercion and enticement of minors, following a case involving sextortion of children he met on Instagram. Juan Jose Torres, aged 27, received his sentence from U.S. District Judge Nancy Torresen in Portland, Maine. He will also undergo seven years of supervised release after serving his prison term.

The investigation began in December 2021 when the father of one victim contacted law enforcement upon discovering that his child had sent sexually explicit images and videos to someone they met on Instagram. The investigation revealed that Torres coerced two teenagers into creating and sending explicit material by threatening self-harm or public exposure if they refused.

Upon arrest in February 2023, Torres admitted to investigators that he was "just having fun" and enjoyed the attention from the victims. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is withholding specific details about the victims to protect their privacy.

U.S. Attorney Darcie McElwee commented on the case: “Mr. Torres pretended to be something he wasn’t to befriend these young victims, then manipulated and exploited them into a situation they were too young to handle." She emphasized the importance of parental vigilance and communication with children about online safety.

Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge at HSI New England, highlighted the prevalence of such crimes: “Torres manipulated children into providing explicit photos to him, using fear and threats.” He assured victims that help is available through HSI and its partners.

Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation into this case.

Reports from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children indicate a significant rise in online enticement cases between 2020 and 2023, marking a 300% increase. This crime involves individuals communicating with minors online with intent for sexual offenses or abduction across various platforms like social media and gaming sites.

For those seeking more information or needing assistance related to sexual assault or abuse in Maine, there is a free statewide helpline available at 1-800-871-7741.

The Homeland Security Investigations program Project iGuardian offers educational outreach focused on protecting children from online predators through awareness initiatives available for schools and communities interested in participation.

This case was part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice aimed at combating child sexual exploitation through collaboration among federal, state, and local resources.