Eddie Ademir Villalta Hernandez, a 37-year-old resident of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced on Mar. 13 to ten years in federal prison for enticing or coercing a minor to engage in sexual activity, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement and the justice system to address crimes involving the exploitation of minors online.
Court documents show that between November 2022 and April 2024, Villalta Hernandez used a social media application to persuade minors to send him images and videos containing child exploitation material. He offered monetary payments in exchange for this content. In addition to his prison sentence, Villalta Hernandez was ordered by U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday to forfeit an iPhone used during the offense and will be required to register as a sex offender. He pleaded guilty in October 2025.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. The program brings together federal, state, and local resources to locate offenders who exploit children and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
Efforts like these reflect broader attempts across the country to protect children from online predators and hold offenders accountable.
