Volunteer And Former Employee Of Minneapolis Charter School Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison For Child Pornography

 United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald today announced the sentencing of JOSIAH RAUL MOSQUEDA, 28, to 20 years in federal prison. MOSQUEDA, who pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography on December 6, 2019, was sentenced today before Judge Patrick J. Schiltz in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

“The defendant was a school employee with direct access to students. He presented himself as someone the students could trust and rely on,” said United States Attorney Erica H. MacDonald. “Instead of being that trusted adult, he exploited that trust, groomed young and vulnerable victims, and preyed upon them for his own sexual gratification. I am grateful the Court recognized this egregious conduct and sentenced him accordingly.”

According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed with the court, MOSQUEDA was a volunteer and former employee of a Minneapolis charter school and a volunteer at a different Minneapolis middle school. MOSQUEDA used social media and electronic communication platforms – specifically Skype, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, Twitter, Kik, WhatsApp, and Snapchat – to communicate with at least ten minor male victims. MOSQUEDA repeatedly solicited the victims to send him naked images of themselves, or videos of sexually explicit acts. MOSQUEDA would suggest in-person sexual encounters and offered economic or other favors in exchange for sexual contact. MOSQUEDA also engaged the victims in sexually explicit conversations and sent sexually explicit pictures of himself to victims. In addition to his conduct involving known victims, MOSQUEDA sought out and curated a collection of additional images and videos containing child pornography on his laptops and cell phone.

In issuing today’s ruling, the Court described MOSQUEDA as a serial sexual predator and “a wolf who pretended to be a shepherd in order to gain access to the sheep.”

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

This case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Middlecamp and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol M. Kayser.

Defendant Information:

JOSIAH RAUL MOSQUEDA, 28

Minneapolis, Minn.

Convicted:

• Production of child pornography, 1 count

Sentenced:

• 20 years in prison
• 10 years of supervised releas