FL Father, Son Head To Prison For Enslaving Croatian Girl For Sex

Tampa FL

07 March, 2022

8:01 AM

Description

TAMPA, FL — A father and son from Trinity have been sentenced to federal prison after being found guilty of coercing a 14-year-old girl from Croatia to the United States for sex. U.S. District Judge Virginia Hernandez-Covington sentenced Jordan Jysae Pulido, 27, to 10 years in federal prison, and his father, Roberto Santana Jimenez, 62, to 20 years in federal prison for child exploitation offenses. The court also ordered both men to serve a lifetime term of supervised release, register as sex offenders, pay restitution in the amount of $2,715, and forfeit electronic devices that were used in the commission of their offenses. See related stories: Father, Son Accused In Scheme To Bring Sex Slave From CroatiaTrinity Man Convicted Of Bringing Child From Croatia For Sex On Oct. 28, a federal jury found Pulido guilty of enticing and coercing a minor, traveling out of the country to engage in illicit sexual conduct and transporting a minor into the country to engage in sexual activity. The jury also found both Pulido and Jimenez guilty of conspiracy to transport a minor into the country to engage in sexual activity. According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, then 23-year-old Pulido met a 14-year-old girl who lived in Croatia on a social networking website in 2017. Pulido began a teacher-student relationship with the child, promising to teach her to play the guitar. After a few months of guitar lessons, however, Pulido began to romantically pursue the girl. For nearly a year, Pulido used the internet to entice the girl to have sex with him. During this time, Pulido and Jimenez planned Pulido's trip to Croatia, and Pulido sought Jimenez's advice and counsel on how to persuade the girl to engage in sex when he traveled to Croatia. Jimenez coached Pulido on what to do and say to the girl, and directly communicated with her about having a sexual relationship with Pulido. Jimenez falsely portrayed himself as a medical doctor and provided advice and counsel to the girl about her fertility and precautions to take to avoid pregnancy. On June 14, 2018, Pulido traveled from Florida to Croatia, proposed to the child on her 15th birthday, and engaged in sex with her. In the month that followed, Pulido and Jimenez conspired to bring the girl from Croatia to Florida, again so that Pulido could engage in sex with her. On or about July 23, 2018, Pulido brought the girl to Florida. Once in Florida, Jimenez took the child's passport and identification documents and refused to allow her to travel back to Croatia with her family. Agents with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement rescued the girl from the home Pulido and Jimenez share iin Trinity on Aug. 12, 2018. "A child victim was rescued from these predators, and we hope this sentencing provides some closure on the path to recovery for them," said Homeland Security Investigations Tampa acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Timothy Westlove. "This case would not have been possible without the local and international law enforcement partnerships." "This case highlights the ability and compassion of our FDLE agents," FDLE Tampa Special Agent in Charge Mark Brutnell said. "What began as a routine welfare check soon escalated. Picking up on subtle signs, our agent knew something wasn't right and, by quickly gaining the victim's trust, he was able to rescue this child from sexual abuse." This case was investigated by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, the Koprivnica-Križevac County Police Administration of the Republic of Croatia Ministry of the Interior Criminal Police, and the International Police Organization.