A federal jury in Orlando has found 32-year-old Rusbel Montoya Mandujano guilty of attempting to coerce and entice a minor to engage in sexual activity after an undercover online sting. The Oviedo man now faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in federal prison and could receive a life sentence, with a judge setting sentencing for August 25.
Prosecutors say the case started on June 25, 2025, when Montoya Mandujano began messaging someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl. The chats quickly turned graphic, and within a day, he had allegedly arranged to meet the supposed teenager. When he showed up, it was not a child waiting for him but law enforcement officers, according to reporting on the trial and verdict. As reported by the Tampa Free Press, a federal jury returned the guilty verdict this week.
How the Sting Unfolded
In reality, prosecutors showed at trial that the girl on the other end of the screen never existed. The account was an undercover operation run by a team of detectives posing as a minor online. Their coordinated effort moved from the digital world to a real-world meetup, where officers arrested Montoya Mandujano when he arrived, according to local reporting.
Several agencies took part in the investigation, including Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, which helped manage both the undercover account and the in-person encounter. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announced the verdict. Prosecutors say the case was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Testerman, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Andrejko overseeing the asset forfeiture portion of the matter, per the Tampa Free Press.
Prosecution and Penalties
The charge falls under federal law: 18 U.S.C. § 2422 makes it a crime to use the mail or any facility or means of interstate commerce to knowingly persuade, induce, entice, or coerce someone under 18 to engage in sexual activity. The statute carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and allows for a maximum of life behind bars. See 18 U.S.C. § 2422 for the statute text, as published by Cornell Law School.
Prosecutors brought the case under Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to coordinate federal, state, and local efforts aimed at combating the online sexual exploitation of children. The program frequently blends local undercover operations with federal prosecution. The U.S. Department of Justice describes how multiagency task forces are used in these investigations.
Montoya Mandujano remains in federal custody as he awaits his sentencing hearing. With sentencing five months away, prosecutors are expected to prepare victim-impact and sentencing materials, while the defense will have the opportunity to present mitigating information to the judge before a prison term is imposed.
