A Victorville man has been convicted on federal charges after posing online as a teenage boy to lure a 15-year-old girl into a sexual relationship and transporting her from San Luis Obispo County to Mexico. Daniel Navarro, 41, was found guilty on Thursday following a four-day trial, according to the Justice Department.
Navarro, who sometimes used the name “Angel” online, was convicted of two counts of sexual exploitation of a child for producing sexually explicit images, one count of attempted enticement of a minor for criminal sexual activity, one count of transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, one count of distributing child pornography, and one count of transportation of child pornography.
Authorities arrested Navarro in July 2022 as he re-entered the United States from Mexico ten days after taking the victim across the border just before her quinceañera. The victim—an Arizona resident spending summer in Nipomo—was rescued by Mexican authorities from a residence in Tijuana after Navarro’s arrest. He remains in federal custody.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Navarro maintained an online relationship with the victim using Instagram accounts. Investigators found messages where Navarro professed love for her and discussed having sex to impregnate her. He transported her from San Luis Obispo County to Tijuana with criminal intent. Navarro also used Instagram to send child pornography to this minor and carried such material on his phone while traveling between Tijuana and San Luis Obispo County before returning to Mexico. The court also heard that he persuaded another victim through Instagram to send him sexual images.
United States District Judge André Birotte Jr. has scheduled sentencing for October 24. Navarro faces at least 15 years in federal prison and could receive up to life imprisonment.
The FBI led the investigation alongside the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office; substantial assistance came from the county District Attorney’s Office as well as U.S., Mexican law enforcement agencies and Homeland Security Investigations during key moments such as the southern border operation and arrest.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin Reidy (Major Frauds Section) and Kathy Yu are prosecuting the case.
