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Ernesto Herrera, who pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor in August, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison on Friday, Fed. 24, the US Attorney for Massachusetts said.
Herrera reached out to the victim from an anonymous phone number through a social media app in June 2020 and manipulated her into giving him nude photos and videos of her performing sex acts, the prosecutor said. He did this for months, and if the girl tried to resist, Herrera would threaten to release the pictures and videos online, authorities said.
He even asked her to send him videos of her performing sex acts on her dog, federal authorities said.
Herrera also hacked into the girl's Snapchat account and sent over 1,000 photos and videos to himself, the US Attorney said. Many of them featured child pornography. The girl eventually went to the police to end the harassment.
Police searched Herrera's home in June 2021, and he admitted he contacted the girl and forced her to send the photos and videos. He also copped to creating several fake Snapchat accounts to request videos from other underage girls and said he had blackmailed at least two other teenagers for nudes, the prosecutor said.
“Mr. Herrera preyed on the vulnerability of a young, innocent child to manipulate and exploit her for his own sexual gratification," said US Attorney Rachael S. Rollins in a news release. "He threatened and blackmailed the victim into sending and giving him access to abusive sexual imagery of herself. Like many others, Mr. Herrera was wrong to think he could hide behind the anonymity of the internet."
FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Division Joseph R. Bonavolonta called Herrera a "sexual predator" who humiliated a young girl using the anonymity of the internet.
“No sentence can undo the devastating harm he inflicted on his victim," Bonavolonta said, "but this courageous teen stood up, came forward, and ensured this man will no longer be in a position to harm others for quite some time."
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