Del Rio man sentenced to 10 years in prison for coercing minor via Snapchat

A Del Rio, Texas, man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of coercion of a minor. Alejandro Zavala, 31, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for using Snapchat to entice a 15-year-old and engage in unlawful sexual activity with him, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Texas. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office.

The court received detailed transcripts showing that Zavala intentionally initiated and maintained contact with the minor, leading to in-person encounters where sexual acts were performed. The minor was reported missing at some point during their communications, prompting an investigation that would eventually bring Zavala to justice. Documents reveal that Zavala was arrested on October 29, 2021, and has been in custody since then.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Rex Beasley, who prosecuted the case, played a critical role in obtaining a guilty plea, which Zavala entered on September 26, 2022. The swift resolution to what the Justice Department considers a widespread problem reflects the ongoing efforts of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative that focuses on child exploitation via the internet and technology-facilitated crimes.