Man arrested for attempting to buy minors for sex in Salinas
SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) - A respiratory therapist from Monterey County was arrested back in April after attempting to buy two young girls in Salinas.
According to court documents filed within the U.S. Department of Justice, Edy Antonio, Jr., a respiratory therapist from Monterey County, responded to an ad posted on a website for sexual services on April 21. An undercover Homeland Security Investigations agent was behind the post.
When Antonio responded to the agent, the agent stated that the girl's pictures were 12 and 14 years old. Both parties discussed pricing online, with Antonio arranging to pay $500 to have unprotected sex with them.
Antonio would drive to Salinas that same day and continue a chain of communication back and forth with the agent until arriving at a Starbucks in Salinas. Antonio was arrested by an officer, who found $500 in his pocket.
Antonio would go on to tell investigators that while he can't take back what he did, he is happy the girls were not real.
Later, in a recorded conversation with his romantic partner, Antonio said, "I was trying to do a good deed and I got [expletive] arrested," going on to say, "Now they're charging me for pedophile and all the [expletive]."
Antonio is being charged with attempted coercion of a minor and faces up to 10 years in prison.
