SAVANNAH, GA: An illegal alien has been sentenced to a decade in federal prison after pleading guilty to luring a teen into participating in sexual activity.
Alejandro Pedroza-Romero, a/k/a “Zuleyka Luna,” a/k/a “Alex Luna,” 37, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States who resided in Garden City, Ga., was sentenced to 120 months in prison after pleading guilty to Coercion and Enticement, said David H. Estes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. After completion of his prison term Pedroza-Romero will be subject to deportation.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Alejandro Pedroza-Romero flaunted the sovereignty of the United States by illegally entering, and then preyed on vulnerable victims on American soil,” said U.S. Attorney Estes. “Putting him behind bars automatically protects children from this predator.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Pedroza-Romero came to the attention of the Thunderbolt, Ga., Police Department in January 2021 when a minor victim reported Pedroza-Romero paid the victim for sexual acts. FBI agents later interviewed and arrested Pedroza-Romero after analyzing multiple electronic communications between Pedroza-Romero and the minor victim.
“This case is a perfect example of how partnerships between the FBI and our local law enforcement agencies are vital in protecting our citizens and in particular, children, our most vulnerable citizens,” said Keri Farley, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “The severity of this sentence is the greatest message we can send to anyone who would seek to take advantage of a child in this way.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Thunderbolt Police Department, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer J. Kirkland and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator Tara M. Lyons, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Noah J. Abrams.
Anyone with information on suspected child sexual exploitation can contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 800-843-5678, or https://report.cybertip.org/.