MIAMI — A federal jury returned a guilty verdict for a Florida man on three counts of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, attempted production of visual depictions involving sexual exploitation of minors, receipt of visual depictions involving sexual exploitation of minors, and possession of visual depictions involving sexual exploitation of minors following a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami investigation.
Rafael Antonio Saldana, 39, of Miami-Dade County, is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 7, 2025.
In the summer of 2023, Saldana solicited sexually explicit images from three minor victims and attempted to meet them in person for the purposes of engaging in sexual conduct. The three minor victims were aged 14, 16 and 17 years old at the time of the communications. Ultimately, Saldana coordinated a time and location to meet with the 14-year-old victim at a local McDonald’s to then return to his home to engage in sexual activity. On July 13, Saldana arrived across the street from the McDonald’s and directed the 14-year-old victim to meet him as planned. He was arrested that day. The investigation revealed Saldana possessed over 60 images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors.
U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, HSI Miami Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury and Miami-Dade Police Department Director Stephanie V. Daniels made the announcement.
HSI Miami and the Miami-Dade Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Audrey Pence Tomanelli and Arielle Klepach are prosecuting.
To report any information about human trafficking, child sexual abuse, or the trafficking in child sexual abuse material, contact the HSI Tip Line at 877-4-HSI-TIP or report it through the CyberTipline on the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s website.