A local Miami pharmacist has been slapped with serious charges after allegedly trying to set up sexual encounters with minors in Colombia. Stefan Andres Correa, 42, stands accused of attempted sex trafficking of a minor and attempted travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct, as per a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Law enforcement officers intercepted Correa attempting to quickly board a flight from Miami to Bogota, Colombia last Friday. Investigators found nine cellular phones in Correa's possession, which contained videos of the pharmacist engaging in sexual acts with what appear to be minor children. According to documents, Correa is alleged to have paid for commercial sex with children aged 10 to 12 during a conversation with a suspected sex trafficker. In the exchange, Correa reportedly agreed to meet the suspected trafficker in Colombia to engage with the minor victims, a criminal complaint revealed, as reported by the U.S. Department of Justice.
The case against Correa emerged as part of Project Safe Childhood, a DOJ initiative targeting the increasing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse. The Miami branch of Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from their offices in Cleveland, Ohio and Bogota, Colombia, led the investigation into Correa's activities. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of HSI in Miami announced the charges.
During his initial court appearance last Friday, details of Correa's charges were outlined, stating that if convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years up to a potential life in prison, along with a lifetime of supervised release. A further detention hearing was scheduled for earlier today at 10:00 a.m., Local 10 News reported. All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law, and a criminal complaint contains mere allegations, the DOJ stated.
To battle the ongoing threat of human trafficking and offer resources for victims, the public is urged to report suspected cases to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Concerned individuals can call 1-888-373-7888, text "BeFree" (233733), or chat live at HumanTraffickingHotline.org.
