(Omaha, NE) -- A Guatemalan man is found guilty by a federal jury in Omaha of trying to sex traffic a minor.
The U.S. Attorney's Office says that this week, the federal jury found 29 year old Eswin Lopez, also known as David Cantu, guilty of attempted sex trafficking of a minor. Lopez, originally from Guatemala, faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
Federal prosecutors say in August 2020 and January 2021, a deputy with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office posted an advertisement on a website commonly used for prostitution. Investigators say Lopez responded to the phone number on the advertisement by text message and began communicating with an undercover deputy, who claimed to be a 15-year-old girl. Prosecutors say Lopez continued messaging and contacting who he thought was a 15-year-old on a daily basis, requesting sex. On January 15, 2021, Lopez agreed to pay $80 for a half hour of sex. Lopez then traveled from Waverly, Nebraska to Omaha to meet at a prearranged place with the cash and beer the minor requested, where he was arrested.
Lopez’s sentencing hearing is set for June 24th.