MD Man Who Paid $300 For Sexual Contact With Minor In DC Sentenced

WASHINGTON, DC — Jan Astaphan, 41, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced Friday to 123 months in prison, after he admitted to traveling across state lines for the purpose of sexually assaulting a minor, according to court documents.

In June 2021, Astaphan pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one charge of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, according to court documents

On Jan. 29, 2019, Astaphan agreed to pay $300 to engage in sexual activity with a minor at a D.C. hotel, according to evidence presented in the case.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations identified Astaphan as a user of a website known to be a place where members actively sexually exploited children, according to the release.

HSI agents began communicating with Astaphan on different online platforms, including by text. Eventually, they set up the encounter at the D.C. hotel, authorities say.

On Jan. 29, 2019, Astaphan traveled to the hotel, where he gave $300 to a person he believed had access to an underage child, according to court documents. He was then arrested by police.

Once Astaphan completes his sentence, he will be placed on 10 years of supervised release, and required to pay a special assessment fee. He will also be required to register as a sex offender for a minimum of 15 years.