Attempts to meet minor for sex leads to federal sentence for Kennesaw man

A Kennesaw man, Joshua Herrera, was sentenced to nearly two decades in federal prison for attempting to entice a minor girl for sex.

Ryan Buchanan, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia announced that Herrera, 29, was handed 19 and a half years in prison for planning the meet-up with the goal of engaging in illegal sexual activity.

On Nov. 19, 2019, Herrera talked online with an undercover FBI special agent and expressed interest in having sex with a minor girl, requested pictures of the girl, and arranged to meet her, according to Buchanan.

Two months later, Herrera drove from Athens to a pre-arranged location in metro Atlanta, where Herrera believed he would meet the girl. Instead, FBI special agents arrested him upon his arrival, per Buchanan. 

Said Buchanan, “Online predators like Herrera mistakenly believe that they can anonymously exploit social media and apps to sexually abuse young children,” Buchanan said. “But the tireless efforts of federal, state, and local investigators make it possible to hold these perpetrators accountable. We strongly encourage parents to remain vigilant in monitoring their children’s use of electronic devices and to immediately report suspicious activity to law enforcement.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a project launched in February 2006, by the U.S. attorney general’s office. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse.

Led by the offices of the United States Attorney, which are located around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children.

For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.project safe childhood.gov.