A San Antonio man is behind bars after he allegedly sent nude photos and explicit messages to an undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old girl. Lemuel Sosa Hernandez, 41, is facing charges of online solicitation of a minor-arouse or gratify, a third-degree felony, according to Bexar County Jail records.
During an online sting operation in December, Hernandez reportedly messaged the officer, who was undercover on the social platform Mocospace. The conversations quickly turned inappropriate as he sent nude photos of himself to what he believed was a young girl, and solicited the same in return, KSAT reports.
Investigating officials traced the digital trail back to Hernandez, conclusively linking the Mocospace account to him. This led to a warrant being issued for his arrest in February.
Online solicitation of minors remains a grave concern for law enforcement agencies, empowering them to execute undercover operations such as this one in an ongoing effort to protect children from predators. Hernandez, if convicted, could face significant time, the penalty for a third-degree felony in Texas includes imprisonment for up to 10 years and a fine of up to $10,000.
