Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced the arrest of an illegal caught up in a sting operation.
Federico Pascual-Jimenez, from Mexico, thought he was sending sexually explicit text messages to a 14-year-old girl.
It was, in fact, an ICE agent.
In his texts, Pascual-Jimenez said he thought “age doesn’t matter.”
ICE announced on X, “.@ICEgov has ARRESTED a criminal illegal PEDOPHILE.”
“Federico Pascual-Jimenez, from Mexico, believed he was sending text messages to a 14-year-old girl who was actually an ICE agent. Pascual-Jimenez sent sexually explicit texts and said he thought ‘age doesn’t matter.’”
“This sicko’s criminal history includes a conviction for DUI, and he has been deported 5 TIMES in the past.”
“ICE is working with officials in South Dakota to ensure he is NEVER released into our streets again.”
.@ICEgov has ARRESTED a criminal illegal PEDOPHILE.
Federico Pascual-Jimenez, from Mexico, believed he was sending text messages to a 14-year-old girl who was actually an ICE agent. Pascual-Jimenez sent sexually explicit texts and said he thought “age doesn’t matter.”
This… pic.twitter.com/Dlw7t6h2eA
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) July 22, 2026
Per the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), “In May 2026, an ICE law enforcement officer was working undercover in an operation to target pedophiles who use the internet to prey on children. Posing as a 14-year-old girl, the agent exchanged texts with Federico Pascual-Jimenez, a 34-year-old criminal illegal alien from Mexico. When the agent sent texts saying that the ‘child’ was young, Pascual-Jimenez responded with ‘I think age doesn’t matter.’”
Pascual-Jimenez then began sending texts suggesting his intentions to have sex with a child, saying, “but what if you wanted to keep this relationship strictly secret – where you are mine and mine alone, and I am yours – so that whenever we’re together, I can do all the things I love doing to you?”
Later, he began making demands of the “child,” including orders to “don’t tex[t] you[r] age you know” and “delete that text now” in reference to another text stating that “she” was only 14 years old.
Pascual-Jimenez arranged to meet the “girl” in the parking lot of a public swimming pool in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, but found himself surrounded by HSI officers instead.
He was arrested without incident.
Pascual-Jimenez faces felony charges of enticement of a minor for indecent purposes and illegal re-entry.
Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis shared, “This sicko was arrested after repeatedly sending sexual texts to someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl.”
“His criminal history includes a conviction for driving under the influence, and he has been deported FIVE times in the past. ICE has lodged a detainer asking officials in South Dakota to commit to not releasing this pedophile from jail and cooperate with ICE, so that we can remove him from our country and make sure he’ll never prey on another innocent child in our country again.”
DHS added:
Pascual-Jimenez first illegally entered the United States through Arizona in 2001 and was granted a voluntary return to Mexico. He then illegally re-entered the country through Texas in April 2012, and again voluntarily departed the country. He then illegally entered the country TWICE through California in May of 2012 – with his second entry in May being a felony – and was deported both times. His fifth illegal entry was in July 2012, when he entered through Texas and was deported again in August 2012. He then illegally entered the country for a SIXTH time at an unknown date and location.
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