Christian Hernandez receives federal prison time and lifetime supervised release for transporting a minor for sexual activity.
NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. – A U.S. District Judge has sentenced Christian Hernandez, 27, of New Port Richey, Florida, to 24 years and 6 months in federal prison for the transportation of a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity. Following his release, Hernandez will face a lifetime term of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. Hernandez pleaded guilty to the charge on July 1, 2025.
Judge Mary S. Scriven handed down the sentence based on court documents detailing years of abuse. According to the documents, Hernandez began sexually abusing the victim in 2019, when she was approximately 12 years old, while the two were in Mexico.
The abuse escalated in 2022 when the victim was 15. Hernandez facilitated her illegal entry into the United States to live with him in New Port Richey.
Once in Florida, he continued to physically and sexually abuse her and forced her to work to repay a “debt” for her illegal entry. This pattern of abuse and forced labor highlighted the severity of the exploitation.
The successful prosecution of this case, led by Assistant United States Attorney Abigail K. King, was the result of a coordinated investigation involving Homeland Security Investigations, the Clearwater Police Department, and the Pasco Sheriff’s Office.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006. The initiative is dedicated to combating the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse by marshalling federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute offenders, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims.
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