MIAMI – The 42-year-old Miami man has been sentenced to life in federal prison after admitting to traveling to Columbia and having sex with a child, according to the US Department of Justice.
Federal prosecutors said Stephen Andres Correa was taken into custody at Miami International Airport while he was about to board a flight to Bogota. During a border search, authorities discovered nine phones containing more than 100 videos showing Correa sexually abusing at least 50 children between the ages of 11 and 17.
One call also included messages with known sex traffickers in Colombia. In the exchange, Correa is said to have agreed to pay $75 for access to a 10-year-old child.
“This sentence sends a clear message. Predators who try to exploit children overseas will be brought to trial,” said U.S. lawyer Hayden P. Ovillund. “Corea’s crimes are heinous and life sentences are more than justification.”
Special proxy acting agency for Miami’s Homeland Security Investigation, Jose R. Figueroa, rigorously reminded the incident of the “global and horrifying nature of child sex trafficking,” and praised the victims’ courage and the cooperation of international authorities.
The investigation included several HSI field offices in the US and Columbia, and included support from the US Customs and the Bogota Attack office of the Department of Justice.
The lawsuit was indicted by Attorney Lauren Astigallaga, the large-scale deputy director of crime, and filed by Project Safe Childhood, a federal government initiative aimed at protecting children from sexual exploitation and abuse.
To report online child exploitation, go to https://report.cybertip.org/ or call 1-800-843-5678. Cyberchip Line is run by the National Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in collaboration with HSI and other law enforcement agencies.
