A Texas man has been sentenced to more than 17 years in federal prison for attempting to engage in sexual acts with a minor in Oklahoma. Bryan Devin Cruz, age 25, traveled with the intent to commit illicit acts after meeting a 13-year-old girl through an online application, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Oklahoma. The Moore Police Department responded to a call regarding a suspicious figure peering through the girl's window and, utilizing a thermal imaging drone, succeeded in locating and arresting Cruz.
The investigation revealed that Cruz deceived the minor into believing he was 17 years old and a high school student. His travel from Dallas to Moore on April 5, 2024, with the agenda to exploit the girl, culminated in his arrest. According to the Department of Justice, the minor's parents consented to the examination of her laptop, which unraveled the communication between Cruz and their daughter.
On May 7, 2024, Cruz faced a federal grand jury that indicted him with two counts: coercion and enticement of a minor and interstate travel with intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor. "Cruz pleaded guilty to Count 2 of the Indictment," as stated by the Department of Justice, and confessed his travel intentions to Oklahoma were for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. Subsequently, on May 1, 2025, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick imposed a sentence of 210 months in federal prison on Cruz.
The lengthy sentence passed down by Judge Wyrick also includes five years of supervised release after prison time is served, to address the protection of the public and consider the offense's serious nature. While issuing the sentence, "Judge Wyrick noted the need to protect the public from further crime and the nature and circumstances of the offense," claiming Cruz's actions were "pervasive, rather than isolated," as noted by the Department of Justice. The sentencing adds to the ongoing efforts of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a Department of Justice initiative aimed at tackling child sexual exploitation and abuse with the collaboration of federal, state, and local agencies.
.jpg){kind=link}