Dillon Alvan Reyna, 33, has been sentenced to 22 years in federal prison and 15 years of supervised release for coercion and enticement of a minor. The sentencing took place in U.S. District Court before Judge Jeffrey M. Bryan, according to an announcement from Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
“No parent should have to wonder if their child is safe at a park,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Yet here, a repeat sex offender in his 30s targeted and picked up a vulnerable child from a Duluth park—a child who had already endured abuse. That is beyond appalling. We are seeing a disturbing rash of men in Minnesota attempting to buy or coerce sex from children. Let me be clear: it is predatory, it is criminal, and it will be met with the full force of federal prosecution. We will not allow offenders to turn our parks and neighborhoods into hunting grounds for children.”
Court documents state that in October 2022, Reyna met a minor under the age of 16 at a Duluth park. He was aware that the victim was particularly vulnerable due to prior abuse and receiving care for it. Over several months, Reyna manipulated the victim through gifts and rides conditioned on sexual cooperation, used physical force during sexual acts, filmed these acts without the victim’s knowledge, and communicated via social media.
Law enforcement tracked the victim to Reyna’s apartment building where he initially denied knowing her and instructed her to lie to police. The victim disclosed the abuse during interviews with authorities. While detained, Reyna attempted to have an associate delete social media accounts linked to his crimes but was unsuccessful.
Reyna had previously admitted guilt in St. Louis County for Third Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct – Force or Coercion in 2021 but received a stay of adjudication.
During sentencing, Judge Bryan referenced aggravating circumstances surrounding the case.
Hands-on sexual abuse inflicts upon its victim immense and long-lasting harm. That the abuse is inflicted on a child and then recorded and memorialized in child pornography adds devastating dimensions to the harm inflicted on minor victims. As the Supreme Court observed about the victim of a child sexual assault, “the nature of her injuries caused more prolonged physical and mental suffering than, say, a sudden killing by an unseen assassin. The attack was not just on her but on her childhood. . . .” Kennedy v. Louisiana, 554 U.S. 407, 435 (2008); see also United States v. Pugh, 515 F.3d 1179, 1197-98 & n.12 (11th Cir. 2008) (citing extensive congressional findings about the harm caused by child pornography and recognizing that “[i]n light of these detailed legislative findings and numerous legislative enactments, we cannot help but underscore the seriousness of this crime”).
“Reyna’s actions were a reprehensible attack on the safety and innocence of a vulnerable child,” said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr., FBI Minneapolis Division.“Far from rehabilitation, as a repeat sex offender, Reyna chose to again violate and exploit a minor victim in unthinkably heinous ways through coercion, manipulation, and force.This victim, already the brave survivor of abuse,suffered at his hands and again though the filming of the assault.This victim deserves the full weight of justice to be leveraged against Reyna.The FBI hopes this sentence shows our unflinching commitment to pursuing justice for all victims of similar abuse and sends the message to all offenders—you will be pursued prosecuted,and punished.”
The investigation involved collaboration between federal agents from the FBI as well as officers from both Duluth Police Department and Hermantown Police Department.
Assistant U.S.Attorneys David B.Greenand Evan B.Gilead led prosecution efforts.
