A man illegally residing in the United States was sentenced in federal court Monday for attempting to persuade an 11-year-old online to engage in sexual activity. Two years earlier, the defendant also molested the child while she stayed at a friend’s house.

U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan sentenced Agustin Nieto Regalado, 47, of Tulsa, to 292 months in federal prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and for possession of a false lawful permanent resident card. Following his prison sentence, Nieto will be removed from the United States.

“Augustin Nieto Regalado sexually abused multiple children while in the United States on a fake green card. The United States asked the court for a sentence of life imprisonment because we believed a life sentence was the only way to ensure Regalado could never hurt another child. We take solace, however, knowing he is headed to prison for a long time and that a jury held him accountable for his despicable acts,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “During this trial, an eleven-year-old sexual abuse victim took the witness stand and courageously faced her abuser, Regalado. It was a powerful moment to see and a reminder that the American justice system gives a voice to victims of crime. I am humbled by the efforts of law enforcement, victim advocates, and prosecutors who worked tirelessly on this case.”

“Investigating, prosecuting and eradicating perpetrators of these horrendous crimes from our communities is one of our highest priorities,” said Ryan L. Spradlin, special agent in charge of HSI Dallas. “HSI special agents are resilient and committed to relentlessly defending the most vulnerable among us from child predators.”

In April 2019, the victim’s mother grew suspicious of a Facebook message her daughter received from a man she knew as “Marcos Diaz.” The mother conversed with Diaz, pretending to be her daughter. Diaz acknowledged the child’s age and described sexual acts he wanted to engage in with the victim. He further offered to pay for the sex acts, asked for explicit pictures and described how he had previously molested the child. Marcos Diaz, who was really Agustin Nieto Regalado, also took sexually explicit photos of himself and sent them to the girl. The mother reported the encounter to authorities.

During the trial, Lieutenant Jeremy Noland of the Tulsa Police Department’s Cyber Crimes Unit explained that detectives took over the girl’s Facebook account once the mother reported Regalado. He described how the defendant continued to message the girl, not knowing that he was actually messaging detectives. A meeting location was set by the parties. When Regalado arrived at the location, he was taken into custody by detectives. The defendant was found in possession of a forged permanent resident card with the alias of Marcos Diaz and immigration documents with the name Agustin Nieto Regalado.

During the trial, testimony was heard that Regalado was also caught several times engaging in suspicious activity with other children.

The Tulsa Police Department’s Cyber Crimes and Child Crisis Units and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Nassar and Edward Snow prosecuted the case.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A man illegally residing in the United States was found guilty Wednesday in federal court of attempting to persuade an 11-year-old online to engage in sexual activity. Two years earlier, the defendant had also molested the child while she stayed at a friend’s house.

A jury convicted Agustin Nieto Regalado, 47, of Tulsa, for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and for possession of a false lawful permanent resident card.

In April 2019, the victim’s mother grew suspicious of a Facebook message her daughter received from a man she knew as “Marcos Diaz.” The mother conversed with Diaz, pretending to be her daughter. Diaz acknowledged the child’s age and described sexual acts he wanted to engage in with the victim. He further offered to pay for the sex acts, asked for explicit pictures and described how he had previously molested the child. Marcos Diaz, who was really Agustin Nieto Regalado, also took sexually explicit photos of himself and sent them to “the girl.” The mother reported the encounter to authorities.

“The defendant, an illegal alien in our country, chose to proceed to jury trial, a right afforded him in the United States Constitution. Today, a jury delivered justice in the form of guilty verdicts,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores of the Northern District of Oklahoma. “Mr. Regalado came into our country illegally and then enticed, coerced and sexually molested children. Despicable.”

“Homeland Security Investigations special agents don’t initiate criminal investigations based on someone’s citizenship, we do so because of the alleged criminal activity and we will never relent in our efforts to protect children from anyone that attempts to exploit them,” said Ryan L. Spradlin, special agent in charge of HSI Dallas.  “HSI’s Operation Predator program is designed to target anyone who sexually exploits children.”

“Our ERO officers are specifically trained and dedicated to locating and removing criminal aliens in the United States,” said Marc J. Moore, ERO Dallas field office director.  “Once this convicted criminal completes whatever prison sentence is imposed, we will ensure he’s removed to his country of origin.”

During the trial, Lieutenant Jeremy Noland of the Tulsa Police Department’s Cyber Crimes Unit explained that detectives took over the girl’s Facebook account once the mother reported Regalado. He described how Regalado continued to message the girl, not knowing that he was actually messaging detectives. A meeting location was set by the parties. When Regalado arrived at the location, he was taken into custody by detectives. The defendant was found in possession of a forged permanent resident card with the alias of Marcos Diaz and immigration documents with the name Agustin Nieto Regalado.

During the trial, testimony was heard that Regalado was also caught several times engaging in suspicious activity with other children.

In closing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Nassar shared with the jury how the victim and her family, who are immigrants, came to the United States in search of opportunities and a better life. He described a country that promises justice for all who come. He asked the jury to deliver justice for the victim and find Regalado guilty of all charges.

U.S. District Judge Claire V. Eagan presided over the trial and set sentencing for Feb. 24. Regalado faces 10 years to life in federal prison and a $250,000 fine for the enticement charge. 

The Tulsa Police Department’s Cyber Crimes and Child Crisis Units and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) and  Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Nassar and Edward Snow prosecuted the case.

This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

United States Attorney Trent Shores announced today the results of the June 2019 Federal Grand Jury A.

The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant’s presumption of innocence.

Jonathan Michael Baker. Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Distribution of Child Pornography; Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography. Baker, 40, of Salem, West Virginia, is charged with using social media to entice an individual that he believed was under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity. He is further charged with knowingly distributing a visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and he is charged with knowingly attempting to receive visual depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The Bristow Police Department is the investigative agency.

Steven Ronald Belcher and Alisa Maria Belcher. Felon in Possession of a Firearm; Transportation of a Stolen Firearm; Pledging a Stolen Firearm as a Security for a Loan. Steven Belcher, 30, of Princeton, West Virginia, is charged with being a felon in possession of a stolen Springfield Armory 9 x 19 caliber pistol. Alisa Belcher, 30, of Princeton, West Virginia is charged with aiding and abetting Steven Belcher in the crime. The two are also charged with aiding and abetting one another when they transported the stolen firearm across state lines from West Virginia to Oklahoma. Finally, Alisa Belcher is charged with pledging as security for a loan the stolen firearm at a pawnshop. Steven Belcher is charged with aiding and abetting Alisa Belcher when she pawned the firearm. The Mayes County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies.

Berry Allen Leerdam-Superseding Indictment. Felon in Possession of Firearms. Leerdam, 58, of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Taurus .357 magnum caliber pistol frame and a Taurus .9 mm semiautomatic pistol frame. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration’s Federal Air Marshals are the investigative agencies.

Jana Renee Parrish. Attempted Bank Robbery. Parrish, 42, residence unknown, is charged with using force, violence and intimidation while attempting to rob a Bank of America in Tulsa. The FBI and Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies.

Ricardo Perez-Rocha. Drug Conspiracy. Perez-Rocha, 42, of Bakersfield, California, is charged with conspiring with others to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration is the investigative agency.

Agustin Nieto Regalado. Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor; Possession of False Lawful Permanent Resident Card. Regalado, 46, of Tulsa, also known as Marcos Diaz, is charged with using social media to knowingly attempt to persuade, induce, and entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. He is also charged with knowingly possessing a fraudulent permanent resident card. The Tulsa Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO) are the investigative agencies.

Viviano Rodriguez-Escalante. Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.  Rodriguez-Escalante, 33, of Tulsa, is charged with reentry of a removed alien, having returned to the United States unlawfully after being deported Oct. 27, 2017, at Laredo, Texas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency.

Dustin Wayne Thompson. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Thompson, 26, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Glock .45 caliber handgun and associated ammunition. Upon investigation, police allegedly found a switch affixed to the handgun that allowed the weapon to fire in fully automatic mode. The Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency.

Ira Lee Wilkins. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Wilkins, 38, of Tulsa, is charged with being a felon in possession of a Highpoint C9 .9 mm pistol and associated ammunition. The Tulsa Police Department is the investigative agency.