LOS ANGELES, Calif. – A 32-year-old Long Beach man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for traveling to Mexico to have sex with a minor.
Jonathan Sandoval-Lepe, according to court records enticed the victim to produce child pornography. Sandoval-Lepe pleaded guilty in November to engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place and receiving child pornography depicting other victims. Over a 2-year period beginning in spring 2015, the defendant traveled to Baja California to have sex with the 13-year-old victim.
Sandoval-Lepe received child pornography by downloading it on his computer in August 2017. When the victim was 15-years-old in September 2017, he convinced the victim to produce child pornography and send it to him while he remained in his California home. Some of the over 600 images and video found in his possession depicted children under 12-years-old.
Sandoval-Lepe was also ordered to pay $15,000 restitution to the victims, including $10,000 to the victim who resides in Mexico. In addition, he was ordered to pay $10,000 special assessment to the Domestic Trafficking Victims’ fund.
When Sandoval-Lepe is released from custody, he will remain on federal supervision for the rest of his life.
