San Mateo Man Receives 18-Year Prison Sentence in Northern District of California for Coercing and Enticing Minors into Child Pornography

Driving Instructor Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Child Pornography Crimes

San Francisco – San Mateo-based driving instructor, Johnnatan Zelaya Izaguirre (Zelaya), has been sentenced to serve 18 years in prison for coercing and enticing teenage girls to produce child pornography and related crimes. The sentence was handed down by the Hon. William H. Orrick, United States District Judge, following a guilty plea made by Zelaya on May 4, 2023. U.S. Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert K. Tripp announced the sentence.

Zelaya admitted that between November 2013 and January 4, 2022, he recruited minor girls, aged 14 to 17, to create sexually explicit images for posting online. He confessed to having sexual intercourse with at least two victims while they were minors and even filmed himself engaging in sexual acts with a minor, distributing the video to a client, knowingly involving an underage individual.

The plea agreement describes how Zelaya targeted his victims. He used social media platforms, such as Instagram and Snapchat, to identify and persuade underage girls to produce explicit content. In person, Zelaya utilized his driving school, which he owned and operated, as a means to recruit students. He manipulated his victims by offering to “manage” the sale of the content over social media, informing them about customer preferences, potential earnings, and the different types of videos requested, whether nude or non-nude. At the time of his arrest, Zelaya was found in possession of 41 videos and 10 photographs of the victims, as well as images of unidentified girls.

On May 1, 2023, Zelaya was charged with two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of distribution of child pornography. He pleaded guilty to all charges as part of his plea agreement.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Orrick ordered Zelaya to serve 15 years of supervised release, which will commence after his imprisonment. Zelaya was immediately taken into custody following the sentencing.

The case against Zelaya was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Harding, with assistance from Patricia Mahoney and Amala James. The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Redwood City Police Department, with support from the California State Department of Motor Vehicles, the Atherton Police Department, and the Burlingame Police Department.

The sentencing of Zelaya serves as a significant step towards justice for the victims involved and sends a strong message that exploitation and abuse of minors will not be tolerated. The authorities involved in the investigation and prosecution of this case have demonstrated their commitment to protecting vulnerable members of society and holding perpetrators accountable.

Original Story at www.justice.gov – 2023-09-19 16:08:19