Salinas man makes federal court appearance for alleged molestation and prostitution of a minor

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KION-TV)-- A Salinas man appeared in federal court Monday and faces charges of enticement and sexual exploitation of a 14-year-old boy, according to the United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Tatum King.

Daniel Philip Aguirre, 30, of Salinas used phones and internet apps (including Grindr, Snapchat and Craiglist) to entice a 14-year-old boy to engage in sex acts with him and forced him into multiple acts of prostitution from April 2017 to September 2017, according to court documents

The criminal complaint alleges that Aguirre knew of the victim's age but still sought a sexual relationship with him after meeting the boy on the dating app Grindr.

The documents say that the boy moved to Carmel sometime in April of 2017 and had been dealing with mental health issues and lied about his age on the app saying he was 18-years-old.

Aguirre kept a sexual relationship with the victim through Grindr, Snapchat and text messages.

The complaint also said that Aguirre created and distributed videos of the victim engaged in sex acts with Aguirre and others, which includes a man who responded to a Craiglist ad posting made by Aguirre advertising sex with the victim.

The victim snuck out of his house with Aguirre on April 23 of 2017 to an unknown man's home in Seaside around midnight where both adults had sex with the victim.

After the illegal act, the victim said that Aguirre joked about him being "jailbait" with the other adult man, according to the court documents.

The complaint goes on to say that later in the car, the victim asked Aguirre what "jailbait" meant and Aguirre told him and asked the victim what their actual age was. The victim answered 14 years old and Aguirre seemed pleased by that answer.

Sometime in May, another threesome was set up by the suspect with a different man who knew the victim's age and didn't care.

They went to the abandoned barracks in the Fort Ord area and molested the victim while recording the act, which the victim didn't consent to, according to case files.

In a third encounter in April, the victim recalled getting texted during class by Aguirre saying a third adult man wanted to pay him 100 to perform oral sex on the minor.

The documents state that Aguirre told the victim not to mention his age because the third man wouldn't want to have sex with a minor.

The victim agreed and said he felt pressure from his abuser to do it because he told him that he needed the money after driving so much going back and forth to visit him, according to the court documents.

"Daniel was basically my pimp... he was the one people checked in with to get to me," said the victim.

A fourth adult male was set up by Aguirre who also molested the victim.

A craigslist ad was then placed by Aguirre sometime in June with a picture of the victim's buttocks describing the victim as an "18-Year-Old Cub," stated the victim.

The fifth male Aguirre prostituted his victim to meet the minor and the suspect at La Rumba where they both molested him.

Sometime in August of 2017, the victim broke off what he described as an unhealthy relationship with the suspect.

Later in 2019, Aguirre texted his victim to not disclose their relationship to anyone, to which the minor confronted his alleged abuser for using him for sex. This was the last time either of the communicated with each other.

The victim later reported Aguirre to law enforcement and he was arrested in Salinas.

A forensic search of the victim's phone uncovered eight videos of the minor in sexual acts, according to the court documents.

A search of the victim's Snapchat messages uncovered proof of Aguirre's knowledge of the victim's age and his deliberate pursuit of a sexual relationship with him nonetheless, according to the documents.

The complaint charge against Aguirre is sexual enticement and coercion of a minor in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b) which carries a maximum of life and a minimum of ten years of imprisonment, and a maximum fine of $250,000.

A term for supervised release following imprisonment of up to life and mandatory restitution to the victim would have to be given by Aguirre if released.

The complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This prosecution is the result of a 16-month investigation by HSI and the Carmel-by-the-Sea Police Department.

Salinas Police Department also assisted with the execution of a search warrant at Aguirre's home.