Abilene man gets 195 years for trafficking teen to multiple men
ABILENE, Texas () – An Abilene man has been sentenced to 195 years in prison after being found guilty of trafficking a runaway teenager to multiple men.
Six suspects indicted in connection to sex trafficking of runaway teen in Abilene
Juan Ortiz was arrested in October 2023 and charged with Trafficking of a Child. According to court documents, Ortiz picked up the teen in August 2023 and took her to a motel on South 1st Street, where he provided her with drugs and alcohol, before soliciting multiple male suspects to pay him to have sex with the teen while he filmed it.
Report: Two Abilene men involved in sex trafficking of runaway teen
Ortiz stood trial in the 104th District Court, where a jury found him guilty on all counts: Trafficking of a Child, Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child, and two counts of Sexual Assault of a Child. He was sentenced to 80 years for trafficking, 75 years for aggravated sexual assault, and 20 years for each count of sexual assault. These sentences are to be served consecutively, resulting in a total of 195 years behind bars. Ortiz was also fined $20,000.
APD Youth Detective Clint Coapland, who helped secure the arrest of Ortiz several months ago, says, 'The jury's decision to impose a 195-year sentence on the defendant sends an unmistakable message: crimes against children will be met with the full force of justice. This sentence is not just a punishment, it is a powerful stand in defense of the most vulnerable members of our society.'
UPDATE: Abilene man accused of sex trafficking runaway teen to at least 4 predators
Five other men were also arrested in connection with the case: Derrick Bernard Harden Jr., Cristian Gomez, Rony Pineda-Zuniga, Immanuel Dan Brown and Darlin Zuniga.
Three of the suspects — Gomez, Pineda-Zuniga, and Zuniga — were found guilty of Solicitation of Prostitution. All sexual assault charges against them were waived, and they were each sentenced to two years in jail.
Harden and Brown are the only remaining suspects whose trial is still pending. Harden's court date is currently set for September 2025, and Brown's is set for August 2025.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Mobile police identify person killed in I-10 crash
Editor's note: A previous version of this article included incorrect information about the victim. News 5 has corrected the information. MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Mobile Police Department officers have identified the person killed Wednesday in a crash on I-10 near Tillmans Corner. Arrested Mobile County teacher asks for trip to Bahamas Officials said 33-year-old Taylor Goff was killed when the vehicle they were driving left the interstate and hit a tree. Goff was pronounced dead on the scene. Officers responded to the area of I-10 and Highway 90 just after 7:30 a.m. on June 19. Mobile Animal Services ordered to return 30 dogs removed from Trinity Gardens home A second vehicle was involved in the crash; its driver was not injured, according to police. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
Albuquerque police to host first ‘Bike with a Cop'
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) — Some Albuquerque police officers will engage with the city's cycling community later this month as APD hosts its first 'Bike with a Cop' event on June 28. Story continues below Wildfire: House sitter becomes unexpected hero, saving four protected raptors during Trout Fire Trending: New restaurant in Old Town takes over space left by beloved eatery Crime: Man sentenced for stealing copper in downtown Albuquerque News: Feds charge man for buying fireworks in NM, claiming he was going to use them against police in LA Cyclists 18 years or older will meet up with officers in the University and Nob Hill area at 8 a.m., then ride with them though neighborhoods. Interested parties can email apdcommunityoutreach@ to register. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ruidoso looks back on the impact of the South Fork and Salt Fires
RUIDOSO, N.M. (KRQE) – One year ago, fear and panic struck Ruidoso as a wildfire exploded. The entire village packed up what they could and left, with many coming back to nothing. The South Fork and Salt Fires left two dead, thousands of homes destroyed, and a long road to recovery. Story continues below Wildfire: House sitter becomes unexpected hero, saving four protected raptors during Trout Fire Trending: New restaurant in Old Town takes over space left by beloved eatery Crime: Man sentenced for stealing copper in downtown Albuquerque News: Feds charge man for buying fireworks in NM, claiming he was going to use them against police in LA Business owner Jackie Hunter feared the worst. 'We were evacuated for a week and a half. Didn't know what was going on with the fires. Didn't even know if we still had a building left,' said Hunter. On June 17, 2024, flames spread through the village quickly. The South Fork and Salt Fires burned more than 25,000 acres and 1,400 structures, many of them homes. After that came burn scar flooding. Hunter, owner of A Quilting Stituation' in Alto, said business has been slow the past year. But it's given her the opportunity to be there for the community in a new way. 'We got to hear a lot of stories of a lot of people coming here of people who lost their homes from either the fire or the flood…it just breaks your heart.' The Village of Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford remembered the heartache. 'So that was a big day, a lot of devastation,' said Mayor Crawford. But when the worst of it passed, he pushed forward. 'But it was setting up those avenues of how do we help people get back to normal or whatever that new normal was going to look like?' said Mayor Crawford. Another loss came when tourism took a hit during the height of the summer season. 'That's where most of the businesses make the majority of their money annually,' said Mayor Crawford. He's reminding people that the popular tourist town is open for business. 'We've been doing a lot of marketing and advertising for the community to say 'hey, we're open, come back and see us. Tourism is our industry,' said Mayor Crawford. A lot of work has been done from de-silting the river, cleaning out and replacing culverts, removing debris, deepening the river and runoff channels, but the work isn't over. 'Whenever you have a tragedy like this you see neighbors coming together you see people helping out one another,' said Hunter. While the village has rebuilt, there is still the fear of something like the South Fork and Salt Fires happening again. 'You see smoke, and a chill fear goes through you,' said Hunter. Tuesday night, the Village of Ruidoso held an event designed to honor those impacted by the fires. Mayor Crawford recognized the courageous first responders and celebrated the community's continued resilience. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
