Pawtucket Man Who Sexually Assaulted Girl Off To Federal Prison

PAWTUCKET, RI — A Pawtucket man who traveled to Winnipeg, Canada, to sexually assault a 13-year-old girl he met on social media was sentenced today to serve 72 months in federal prison.

Herbert J. Rodas, 24, pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence to charges of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor in foreign places, transferring obscene material to a minor, and receipt of child pornography.

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Rodas in 2019 communicated with the victim online for several months, sending obscene images of himself and soliciting sexually explicit photographs in return, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney for the District of Rhode Island. Roldan traveled to Canada in April of that year and assaulted the girl. In June of 2019, the Winnipeg Police Service contacted the Rhode Island State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations in Rhode Island. Rodas was arrested in July of 2019 and released on home detention with electronic monitoring.

Rodas admitted to the court that on April 25, 2019, he flew to Canada, rented a hotel room in his name for which he paid cash, and over the next three days met with the victim on several occasions to engage in illicit sexual activity.

Today in federal court, U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy sentenced Rodas to 72 months in federal prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. The sentencing was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Richard B. Myrus, Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker, and Rhode Island State Police Superintendent Colonel James M. Manni.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. McAdams.