SACRAMENTO--United States Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced today that a federal grand jury in Sacramento returned a two count indictment charging RAYMOND BENJAMIN PEDROZA, 50, of Las Vegas, Nevada with attempting to commit lewd acts with a minor female and with traveling in interstate commerce with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor female.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, and the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office.According to Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rodriguez, who is prosecuting the case, the indictment alleges that PEDEROZA used the Internet (YAHOO and MySpace) to entice an individual he believed was a 13 year-old South Lake Tahoe girl to engage in lewd sexual acts. The indictment also alleges that PEDEROZA traveled from Nevada to South Lake Tahoe for the purpose of committing illicit sexual activity with the person whom he believed was a minor.

PEDEROZA faces a minimum sentence of 5 years imprisonment and a maximum of 30 years imprisonment on the charge of using an interstate facility to induce a minor to engage in lewd sexual activity, and up to 30 years in prison for the charge of traveling in interstate commerce to have sexual contact with a minor. PEDEROZA will make his initial appearance in federal court on Friday, April 13, 2007, at 2:00 p.m.

The United States Attorney's Office noted that the charges are only accusations, and that the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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United States Attorney Eastern District of California NEWS RELEASEMcGregor W. Scott
Sacramento Fresno
501 I. Street, Ste 10-100 2500 Tulare St., Suite 4401
Sacramento CA 95814 Fresno, CA 93721
Tel (916) 554-2700 Tel (559) 497-4000
TTY (916) 554-2855 TTY (559) 497-4500
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Rosemary Shaul, 916-554-2802
April 12, 2007 http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/cae

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