Repeat sex offender sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity following HSI probe

DOJ Press

LOS ANGELES – A San Gabriel Valley man whose conviction on a previous sex offense ended his career in education was sentenced today to 120 months in federal prison for attempting to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity over the internet.

As the result of an investigation by special agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Los Angeles, Albert Pinedo, 78, of Alhambra, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge George H. Wu.

At the conclusion of a four-day trial that ended on July 23, a federal jury found Pinedo guilty of one felony count of attempting to persuade, induce or entice a minor to engage in sexual activity.

According to evidence presented at trial, on February 26, 2020, Pinedo placed an ad on Craigslist that stated, “I’m a retired senior looking for casual contact with young men.” An undercover HSI special agent answered the ad and responded as a fictitious 14-year-old boy. Pinedo and the HSI special agent chatted online for approximately one week, before making plans to meet and engage in oral sex. In a series of emails, Pinedo acknowledged the boy’s age and described sexual acts he wanted to perform. Pinedo also requested the HSI special agent to take naked photos and send them.


On March 4, 2020, Pinedo traveled to meet with the HSI special agent at the designated meeting place, where he was arrested. A search of his vehicle revealed that he had brought lubricant and a sex toy to their meeting.


Pinedo was a Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) middle school teacher and administrator who previously was convicted in 2003 of distribution of child pornography and was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for that felony offense. Pinedo resigned his position at LAUSD following the allegations in that case.

This case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California’s Violent and Organized Crime Section.

HSI is the principal investigative arm of DHS and a vital U.S. asset in combatting transnational crime and threats. One of HSI’s top priorities is to protect the public from crimes of victimization, and HSI’s child exploitation investigations program is a central component of this mission set. HSI is recognized as a global leader in this investigative discipline, and is committed to utilizing its vast authorities, international footprint and strong government and non-government partnerships to identify and rescue child victims, identify and apprehend offenders, prevent transnational child sexual abuse, and help make the internet a safer place for children.

HSI takes a victim-centered approach to child exploitation investigations by working to identify, rescue and stabilize victims. HSI works in partnership with NCMEC, ICAC partners, and other federal, state, and local agencies to help solve cases and rescue sexually exploited children. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to NCMEC’s toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST. HSI is a founding member of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.

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