Pasco Predator Gets 20 Years for Online Child Exploitation

A Pasco man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for exploiting minors using social media.

On Thursday, March 11th, a U.S. District Court judge sentenced 29-year old Manual A. Rodriguez to 20 years of imprisonment for Online Enticement of a Minor and Attempted Production of Child Pornography.

Following His Release, Rodriguez Will Serve a Lifetime of Supervised Release

In addition, Rodriguez must also register as a sex offender, and follow a number of conditions.  According to the U.S. Department of Justice:

In February of 2023, a student at a local high school disclosed that she had been sexually assaulted by a 26-year-old male when she was 15 years old. The sexual assault resulted in a pregnancy. A subsequent investigation by the Pasco Police Department (PPD) identified the male as Manuel A. Rodriguez, who resided in Pasco, Washington. Further investigation by PPD revealed that Rodriguez sought out the 15-year-old girl on the Snapchat application in October of 2022.

Also Read: 5 Years in Prison for Pasco Man in Sick Child Porn Case

After Investigation, Detectives Learned Rodriguez Communicated With Several Minors

The Pasco Police Department and the Southeast Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (SER-ICAC) found that the communications were sexually explicit between Rodriguez and girls as young as 13.

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“Offenders who use social media platforms to exploit children often believe they can hide behind a screen,” said SER-ICAC Sergeant Hyrum Stohel. “But through careful investigation and digital forensics, law enforcement is often able to identify those responsible and stop further victimization.”