A Madras, Oregon man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after attempting to coerce and entice a minor for sexual purposes. Ernesto Torres, 45, who is a registered sex offender, was also given a 20-year term of supervised release.
Court documents show that beginning in July 2024, Torres used Facebook Messenger to communicate with someone he believed was a 15-year-old girl. The individual was actually an undercover deputy from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office. Over several months, Torres requested explicit images, discussed sexual acts, and tried to arrange an in-person meeting. On December 1, 2024, he traveled from Madras to Redmond with the intention of meeting the minor and expressed plans to take her to a cabin about 50 miles away.
On December 19, 2024, a federal grand jury indicted Torres on charges of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor as well as attempting to use a minor to produce sexually explicit material. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents arrested him on January 10, 2025. He pleaded guilty on July 15, 2025.
The investigation involved HSI and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Matthew Nelson, Special Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Oregon, and William M. McLaren, Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Oregon.
Anyone with information regarding child exploitation is encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit tips online at report.cybertip.org.
Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving minors. Child sexual abuse material not only documents crimes against children but also causes further harm each time it is shared online. More information can be found at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children website: www.missingkids.org.
This prosecution was part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative started by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse by coordinating efforts among federal, state, and local agencies. Further details are available at www.justice.gov/psc.
