The Texas Department of Public Safety arrested a 40-year-old man on multiple sex-related charges Monday after they said he made arrangements to have sex with two undercover agents he thought were 15- and 16-year-old girls.
According to an arrest affidavit, the criminal investigations division of DPS was conducting an undercover online solicitation of a minor operation when Manuel Isidro Lopez-Ponce began conversing with an agent he thought was a 15-year-old girl.
During the conversation, Lopez-Ponce asked about picking her up to hang out in his hotel room, asked her if she wanted to have sex, described what acts he’d do and sent her an unsolicited picture of his penis, the report stated.
When the “girl” told Lopez-Ponce she’d have her friend drop her off at a pre-determined location, he told her to ask the friend if she wanted to join them and told her to ask again upon learning she was 16, the report stated.
Lopez-Ponce then began to have a conversation with the second “girl,” the report stated. He again described what sex acts he’d perform with her and sent her a different picture of his penis.
When Lopez-Ponce showed up at the location where he thought he was meeting the 15-year-old, he was met by the agents and Odessa police officers, the report stated.
Lopez-Ponce was booked into the Ector County jail on suspicion of two counts of child grooming, two counts of online solicitation of a minor and two counts of online solicitation of a minor sexual conduct. He’s being held on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement hold and surety bonds totaling $200,000.
