Evergreen Reporter

Gabriel Estrada, a 30-year-old resident of Denver, Colorado, has been convicted by a federal jury for attempting to entice a minor into illegal sexual activity. The trial, which lasted four days, took place under the supervision of U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson.

Evidence presented during the trial revealed that Estrada used a chat application to arrange a meeting with someone he believed to be a 13-year-old girl for sexual intercourse. In reality, an undercover agent was posing as the young female living in Laramie, Wyoming. Estrada engaged in conversations with this persona, discussing sexual acts and inquiring if she had friends who would join them.

Estrada traveled from his home in Denver to Laramie after confirming the supposed minor's willingness to participate in sexual activities. Upon arrival at the agreed location, he was found with physical evidence supporting his intent, including an iPhone containing incriminating text messages exchanged with the undercover agent. Despite being informed of her age during their interactions, Estrada claimed he did not believe she was actually 13 years old.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 13, 2025. Estrada faces potential penalties ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000, five years to life supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. The final sentence will be determined by a federal district court judge after considering various statutory factors and U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

The investigation leading to this conviction was conducted by the Laramie Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold.