Earlier today in Brooklyn federal court, Luis Velez was sentenced to 12 years in prison for coercion and enticement of a minor. United States District Judge Pamela K. Chen delivered the sentence. Velez, who does not have legal immigration status in the United States, will be deported after completing his prison term. He pleaded guilty in July 2024.
The sentencing was announced by Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s New York Field Office.
“The defendant preyed on children, manipulating and threatening them into creating sexually explicit images for his own sexual gratification,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office is committed to holding accountable such sexual predators and I urge parents and caregivers to discuss with their children the dangers of communicating online with strangers and anyone else who may exploit them.”
Nocella also acknowledged the Boston Police Department’s assistance in the case.
“Luis Velez repeatedly forced multiple minors to create and send sexually explicit images by threatening to harm their families. Velez preyed upon his victims’ fear to satisfy his perverted desires. The FBI will continue to defend our city’s children from sexual predators, especially those residing unlawfully in this country,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
According to court documents, Velez—26 years old at the time—posed as a 14-year-old boy on Instagram in 2022 and began communicating with an 11-year-old girl identified as Jane Doe 1. At his urging, Jane Doe 1 sent him sexually explicit images of herself; he then threatened her family if she did not send more images. Velez also contacted other minors on Instagram while pretending to be either a girl or a boy to obtain similar material.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse through coordination among federal, state, and local resources. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca M. Schuman and Stephen H. Petraeus from the General Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.
The U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York serves as the federal prosecutor’s office for Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau County, and Suffolk County; it handles prosecutions of federal crimes as well as civil matters across these areas from its offices in Brooklyn and Central Islip (official website). The office also supports community outreach efforts and victim assistance programs (official website).
Luis Velez is 29 years old and resided in Brooklyn at the time of arrest.
