Arizona man gets 7 years in prison for attempted child sex trafficking
Sep 25, 2023, 4:35 AM | Updated: 5:50 am
Eric Lavon Williams, 36, distributed child pornography over various online platforms, prosecutors said. (Pixabay Photo)
(Pixabay Photo)
PHOENIX — An Arizona man was sentenced to seven years in prison for attempted child sex trafficking on Thursday, authorities said.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office said Adan Ivan Munoz Espinoza, 36, was initially arrested in January.
That’s when a Phoenix Police detective caught him in a sting operation, officials said.
He failed at his attempted child sex trafficking, officials said
“In January of this year, the Phoenix Police Department began an undercover investigation in which a detective went online posing as a 16-year-old girl,” the office said.
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“Espinoza invited the ‘girl’ to engage in sex with him and offered $80 for the act,” according to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. “He even made arrangements to meet the ‘child’ at a nearby store.”
A jury found him guilty of one count of child sex trafficking last month, officials said. After serving his 7-year sentence, he’ll have to register as a sex offender.
“We are grateful for the hard work and collaboration with law enforcement on this case,” Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said in a statement.
“By holding Espinoza accountable for his actions, our prosecutors have made Maricopa County a safer place for all, especially for our children.”
