Daniel Vincent Salazar, Jr., a 29-year-old resident of Modesto, has been sentenced to 45 years in prison for sexually exploiting minors. Acting United States Attorney Michele Beckwith made the announcement. Following his prison term, Salazar will undergo a 25-year supervised release period with restrictions on his access to minors, electronic devices, and the internet. He is also required to register as a sex offender.
Court documents reveal that between December 2018 and January 2020, Salazar used Instagram and Snapchat to contact minor females aged between 12 and 14. He coerced them into creating and sending explicit images. If victims resisted, he threatened to distribute explicit images already obtained to their classmates and family members. In one instance where a victim expressed suicidal thoughts during their communication, Salazar responded with remarks such as "[t]hat’s on you. Not my fault," and "[t]he cops can’t do nothing trust me." Salazar has been detained since his arrest on January 20, 2020.
The investigation involved multiple agencies including Patterson Police Services, Los Banos and San Jose Police Departments, Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation – Division of Adult Parole Operations, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David L. Gappa led the prosecution.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide. The project coordinates federal, state, and local resources to prosecute offenders who exploit children while identifying and rescuing victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood or internet safety education resources, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.