The fugitive formerly at large and branded online as "ChrisLewd" faced a Los Angeles federal court Monday after his capture in Arizona, based on details from NBC Los Angeles and FBI. Christopher Michael Loza, 47, was charged with attempted enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity and possession of child sexual abuse material—the result of an investigation by the Ventura County Child Exploitation Task Force.
Loza, identified online as "ChrisLewd," initiated a conversation with someone he believed to be a 15-year-old girl in an online chatroom, during which he made statements indicating a desire for sexual engagement the other party, an undercover officer disguised as a minor, according to the FBI indictment, his messages included queries such as "How old are u...I’m 45. Is that ok?" and he continued soliciting for sexual intents, planning meetings, expressing it through brazen texts, asking "to get condoms" among others. He was arrested on state charges in August 2023 but fled after posting bail, prompting a manhunt that concluded with his apprehension in Phoenix on Aug. 2, with his no-show at arraignment leading to the flagging of his warrants.
Loza's initial appearance in court on Monday confirmed his detainment, as NBC Los Angeles reported, with an ensuing trial scheduled for October 7. The gravity of the indictment could sentence Loza to a statutory maximum of life imprisonment if he is found guilty on all counts.
