Tampa Man Pleads Guilty To Sex Abusing 15-Year-Old Colombian Child

TAMPA, FL — A 59-year-old Tampa man has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a 15-year-old indigent child in Colombia to produce pornographic images, traveling to Columbia to engage in sex with the child and possessing images of the child being sexually abused.

United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg said Hugo Espinosa Chavez faces a minimum mandatory penalty of 15 years and up to 30 years on the production charge, up to 30 years on the sex tourism charge and up to 10 years in federal prison for the possession charge.

Espinosa Chavez was arrested on Oct. 5, and will remain in custody through sentencing because he has dual citizenship in the United States and Colombia.

According to court documents, from May through December 2020, Espinosa Chavez coerced, persuaded and engaged the 15-year-old in sexually explicit conduct to produce photos. In return, Espinosa Chavez gave the child money and other gifts.

The U.S. attorney said Espinosa Chavez found the 15-year-old on Facebook and began communicating with the child via Facebook Messenger.

Espinosa Chavez then offered money in exchange for photos of the child’s buttocks and genitals.

On Dec. 12, 2020, Espinosa Chavez traveled from the United States to Colombia to have sex with and ultimately sexually abuse the child.

On other occasions, Espinosa Chavez took sexually explicit pictures of the child on his personal cell phone. In return, the child was given 60,000 Colombian pesos (about $17 in U.S. currency) for the pictures the victim had sent.

According to the affidavit, Espinosa Chavez continued to demand more sexual acts from the child and would only pay the child if the specific requests were met.

During an interview with law enforcement after his arrest, Espinosa Chavez admitted that he had paid the child money in exchange for sexually explicit photos, he knew the child was a minor and he had sexually abused the child while in Colombia.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in Tampa, with substantial assistance from HSI Bogota, the Colombian National Police, the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.