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Date: 03-25-2024
Case Style:
United States of America v. Paul Joseph Espinosa
Case Number: 21-CR-313
Judge: Jennifer L. Thurston
Court: The United States District Court for the Eastern District of California (Sacramento County)
Plaintiff's Attorney: The United States Attorney’s Office in Sacramento
Defendant's Attorney:
Description: Sacramento, California criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with Online Coercion of a Child.
Clovis Man Sentenced to over 11 Years in Prison for Attempted Online Coercion of a Child
Clovis Man Sentenced to over 11 Years in Prison for Attempted Online Coercion of a Child Paul Joseph Espinosa, 56, of Clovis, was sentenced today to 11 years and three months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for attempted online coercion of a child.
In May 2021, Espinosa noticed an Instagram profile that was controlled by an undercover agent. Espinosa initiated communications, and the undercover agent told Espinosa that she was 15 years old. Nonetheless, Espinosa continued to send her direct messages and call her using Instagram audio. Espinosa asked the purported 15-year-old for explicit pictures and asked multiple times to meet up with her to “cuddle,” to “enjoy each other’s company at least for a night,” among other things. Espinosa asked the purported 15-year-old to send him a picture for his eyes only and sent her three sexually explicit photos of females as part of that conversation.
According to court documents, on June 26, 2021, Espinosa traveled from Clovis to Fresno to meet up with the intended victim because he wanted to engage in various forms of sexual activity with her. When Espinosa arrived, he was placed under arrest. On Sept. 25, 2023, Espinosa pleaded guilty.
This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Fresno Police Department and the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany M. Gunter and Christina McCall prosecuted the case.
Outcome:
Defendant was found guilty and sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release
Plaintiff's Experts:
Defendant's Experts:
Comments: