Score:   1
Docket Number:   D-RI  1:20-cr-00003
Case Name:   USA v. Rodas
  Press Releases:
PROVIDENCE – A Pawtucket man appeared in U.S. District Court in Providence today and admitted to a judge that he traveled to Canada in April 2019, to engage in illicit sexual activity with a 13-year-old female he befriended on social media.

Herbert J. Rodas, 23, also admitted that he sent the girl obscene photographs of himself and that he successfully encouraged her to send him sexually explicit photographs of herself.

Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy, Rodas pleaded guilty to engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor in foreign places, transferring obscene material to a minor, and receipt of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Molina, and Rhode Island State Police Superintendent Colonel James M. Manni.

In June 2019, the Winnipeg Police Service contacted the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Providence to report the sexual assault of a 13-year-old female.  Winnipeg Police developed information that Rodas had travelled from the United States to Canada to engage in sexual activity with the minor victim with whom he had been communicating online since January 2019.

Today, Rodas admitted to the court that on April 25, 2019, he flew to Canada, rented a hotel room in his name for which he paid cash, and over the next three days he met with the victim on several occasions to engage in illicit sexual activity.

On July 11, 2019, ICAC Task Force members and HSI agents arrested Rodas. A court-authorized search of Rodas’ Pawtucket residence that day resulted in the seizure of Rodas’ passport, an airline boarding pass from Toronto to Boston for Rodas’ return trip from Canada in April 2019, a Super 8 Motel receipt, and several electronic devices.

He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 25, 2020.

Engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor in foreign places is punishable by up to 30 years imprisonment and lifetime supervised release. Transferring obscene material to a minor is punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment and 5 years’ supervised release. Receipt of child pornography is punishable by a term of incarceration of 5-30 years, to be followed by lifetime supervised release.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John P. McAdams.

United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman thanks the Winnipeg Police Service for their assistance in the investigation of this matter.

###

PROVIDENCE – A Pawtucket man was arrested today on charges he allegedly travelled to Canada to engage in illicit sexual activity with a 13-year-old girl he enticed online during a series of exchanges of messages and pornographic images.

Herbert J. Rodas, 22, was arrested by Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) agents and members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force on a federal criminal complaint charging him with transferring obscene material to a minor, enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity, and travelling in interstate or foreign commerce with intent to engage on illicit sexual activity.

According to court documents, in June 2019, the Winnipeg Police Service contacted the ICAC Task Force and HSI in Providence to report the sexual assault of a 13-year-old female.  According to information developed by Winnipeg Police, Rodas allegedly travelled from the United States to Canada to engage in sexual activity with the minor victim after more than two months of online communications between the two.

According to court documents, it is alleged that Rodas and the victim met online and began communicating with one another in January 2019 using several social media applications. Within 10-15 minutes of the initial communication, the talk turned sexual and, after repeated requests by Rodas, the victim performed a sex act.

It is alleged that as the communications continued, at Rodas’ request, on multiple occasions the victim sent Rodas images of herself in various stages of undress, to include fully nude photos. Rodas sent the victim several sexually explicit and graphic images of himself. Some of the messages sent by Rodas using Snapchat contained user’s information, to include Rodas’ home address.

It is alleged in court documents that on April 25, Rodas flew to Canada and rented a hotel room in his name, for which he paid cash. Over the next three days, Rodas met with the victim on several occasions and engaged in illicit sexual activity with her. The victim provided physical evidence to the Winnipeg Police she said was connected to the first sexual encounter.

Rodas was arrested today by HSI agents and members of the ICAC Task Force during a court-authorized search of his Pawtucket residence, at which time law enforcement seized, among other items, Rodas’ passport, an airline boarding pass from Toronto to Boston for Rodas’ return trip from Canada, a Super 8 Motel receipt, and several electronic devices.

United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh, and Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel James M. Manni announce the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint in this matter.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Rodas was released to home confinement with electronic monitoring and ordered to have no contact with the victim.

Transferring obscene material to a minor is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and a term of 5 years supervised release. Enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity is punishable by a term of imprisonment of 10 years – to life, lifetime supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and a court-imposed special assessment of $5,000. Travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct is punishable by up to 30 years imprisonment, lifetime supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and a court-imposed special assessment of $5,000.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams.

###

Docket (0 Docs):   https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hFdjo3iS6lMvZ8BENq2-pF0w6ke4REbnIPeTzpAp8h0
  Last Updated: 2023-10-12 10:43:13 UTC
Description: The fiscal year of the data file obtained from the AOUSC
Format: YYYY

Description: The code of the federal judicial circuit where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the federal judicial district where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the district office where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: Docket number assigned by the district to the case
Format: A7

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which cannot be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which can be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A sequential number indicating whether a case is an original proceeding or a reopen
Format: N5

Description: Case type associated with the current defendant record
Format: A2

Description: Case type associated with a magistrate case if the current case was merged from a magistrate case
Format: A2

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, defendant number, and reopen sequence number
Format: A18

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, and reopen sequence number
Format: A15

Description: The docket number originally given to a case assigned to a magistrate judge and subsequently merged into a criminal case
Format: A7

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a magistrate case
Format: A3

Description: The status of the defendant as assigned by the AOUSC
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the fugitive status of a defendant
Format: A1

Description: The date upon which a defendant became a fugitive
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which a fugitive defendant was taken into custody
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date when a case was first docketed in the district court
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which proceedings in a case commenced on charges pending in the district court where the defendant appeared, or the date of the defendant’s felony-waiver of indictment
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code used to identify the nature of the proceeding
Format: N2

Description: The date when a defendant first appeared before a judicial officer in the district court where a charge was pending
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code indicating the event by which a defendant appeared before a judicial officer in the district court where a charge was pending
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the type of legal counsel assigned to a defendant
Format: N2

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE1
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE1
Format: A3

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the second highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE2
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE2
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE2
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE2
Format: A3

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the third highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE3
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE3
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE3
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE3
Format: A3

Description: The FIPS code used to indicate the county or parish where an offense was committed
Format: A5

Description: The date of the last action taken on the record
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which judicial proceedings before the court concluded
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the final sentence is recorded on the docket
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the case was closed
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The total fine imposed at sentencing for all offenses of which the defendant was convicted and a fine was imposed
Format: N8

Description: A count of defendants filed including inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed excluding inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings commenced
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated including interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated excluding interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings terminated
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period including long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period excluding long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: The source from which the data were loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: A10

Description: A sequential number indicating the iteration of the defendant record
Format: N2

Description: The date the record was loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: Statistical year ID label on data file obtained from the AOUSC which represents termination year
Format: YYYY

Data imported from FJC Integrated Database
Magistrate Docket Number:   D-RI  1:19-mj-00058
Case Name:   USA v. Rodas
  Press Releases:
PROVIDENCE – A Pawtucket man was arrested today on charges he allegedly travelled to Canada to engage in illicit sexual activity with a 13-year-old girl he enticed online during a series of exchanges of messages and pornographic images.

Herbert J. Rodas, 22, was arrested by Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) agents and members of the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force on a federal criminal complaint charging him with transferring obscene material to a minor, enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity, and travelling in interstate or foreign commerce with intent to engage on illicit sexual activity.

According to court documents, in June 2019, the Winnipeg Police Service contacted the ICAC Task Force and HSI in Providence to report the sexual assault of a 13-year-old female.  According to information developed by Winnipeg Police, Rodas allegedly travelled from the United States to Canada to engage in sexual activity with the minor victim after more than two months of online communications between the two.

According to court documents, it is alleged that Rodas and the victim met online and began communicating with one another in January 2019 using several social media applications. Within 10-15 minutes of the initial communication, the talk turned sexual and, after repeated requests by Rodas, the victim performed a sex act.

It is alleged that as the communications continued, at Rodas’ request, on multiple occasions the victim sent Rodas images of herself in various stages of undress, to include fully nude photos. Rodas sent the victim several sexually explicit and graphic images of himself. Some of the messages sent by Rodas using Snapchat contained user’s information, to include Rodas’ home address.

It is alleged in court documents that on April 25, Rodas flew to Canada and rented a hotel room in his name, for which he paid cash. Over the next three days, Rodas met with the victim on several occasions and engaged in illicit sexual activity with her. The victim provided physical evidence to the Winnipeg Police she said was connected to the first sexual encounter.

Rodas was arrested today by HSI agents and members of the ICAC Task Force during a court-authorized search of his Pawtucket residence, at which time law enforcement seized, among other items, Rodas’ passport, an airline boarding pass from Toronto to Boston for Rodas’ return trip from Canada, a Super 8 Motel receipt, and several electronic devices.

United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh, and Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police Colonel James M. Manni announce the arrest and filing of a criminal complaint in this matter.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Rodas was released to home confinement with electronic monitoring and ordered to have no contact with the victim.

Transferring obscene material to a minor is punishable by statutory penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and a term of 5 years supervised release. Enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity is punishable by a term of imprisonment of 10 years – to life, lifetime supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and a court-imposed special assessment of $5,000. Travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct is punishable by up to 30 years imprisonment, lifetime supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and a court-imposed special assessment of $5,000.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams.

###

Docket (0 Docs):   https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HxGTbz6uHEgLkxAHMGph9tMK16COM6LRzRBbnTOE1o8
  Last Updated: 2023-10-12 08:55:13 UTC
Description: The fiscal year of the data file obtained from the AOUSC
Format: YYYY

Description: The code of the federal judicial circuit where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the federal judicial district where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: The code of the district office where the case was located
Format: A2

Description: Docket number assigned by the district to the case
Format: A7

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which cannot be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a case which can be modified by the court
Format: A3

Description: A sequential number indicating whether a case is an original proceeding or a reopen
Format: N5

Description: Case type associated with the current defendant record
Format: A2

Description: Case type associated with a magistrate case if the current case was merged from a magistrate case
Format: A2

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, defendant number, and reopen sequence number
Format: A18

Description: A concatenation of district, office, docket number, case type, and reopen sequence number
Format: A15

Description: The docket number originally given to a case assigned to a magistrate judge and subsequently merged into a criminal case
Format: A7

Description: A unique number assigned to each defendant in a magistrate case
Format: A3

Description: The status of the defendant as assigned by the AOUSC
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the fugitive status of a defendant
Format: A1

Description: The date upon which a defendant became a fugitive
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which a fugitive defendant was taken into custody
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date when a case was first docketed in the district court
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which proceedings in a case commenced on charges pending in the district court where the defendant appeared, or the date of the defendant’s felony-waiver of indictment
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code used to identify the nature of the proceeding
Format: N2

Description: The date when a defendant first appeared before a judicial officer in the district court where a charge was pending
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: A code indicating the event by which a defendant appeared before a judicial officer in the district court where a charge was pending
Format: A2

Description: A code indicating the type of legal counsel assigned to a defendant
Format: N2

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE1
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE1
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE1
Format: A3

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the second highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE2
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE2
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE2
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE2
Format: A3

Description: The title and section of the U.S. Code applicable to the offense committed which carried the third highest severity
Format: A20

Description: A code indicating the level of offense associated with FTITLE3
Format: N2

Description: The four digit AO offense code associated with FTITLE3
Format: A4

Description: The four digit D2 offense code associated with FTITLE3
Format: A4

Description: A code indicating the severity associated with FTITLE3
Format: A3

Description: The FIPS code used to indicate the county or parish where an offense was committed
Format: A5

Description: The date of the last action taken on the record
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which judicial proceedings before the court concluded
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the final sentence is recorded on the docket
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The date upon which the case was closed
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: The total fine imposed at sentencing for all offenses of which the defendant was convicted and a fine was imposed
Format: N8

Description: A count of defendants filed including inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed excluding inter-district transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings commenced
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants filed whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated including interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated excluding interdistrict transfers
Format: N1

Description: A count of original proceedings terminated
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants terminated whose proceedings commenced by reopen, remand, appeal, or retrial
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period including long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: A count of defendants pending as of the last day of the period excluding long term fugitives
Format: N1

Description: The source from which the data were loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: A10

Description: A sequential number indicating the iteration of the defendant record
Format: N2

Description: The date the record was loaded into the AOUSC’s NewSTATS database
Format: YYYYMMDD

Description: Statistical year ID label on data file obtained from the AOUSC which represents termination year
Format: YYYY

Data imported from FJC Integrated Database
F U C K I N G P E D O S R E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E E