Salinas man faces max penalty of life in prison forattempted enticement and coercion of a minor and to distribution of child pornography

 

On 12/8/25 about Salinas' Donald Ramirez pleaded guilty to attempted enticement and coercion of a minor and to distribution of child pornography. Ramirez is scheduled to be sentenced on May 11, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The Department of Homeland Security is investigating. Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and The U.S. District Attorney's Office of Northern California are prosecuting this case.

U.S. District Attorney's Office of Northern California Press Release:

A California man pleaded guilty today to attempted enticement and coercion of a minor and to distribution of child pornography.

According to court documents, Donald Ramirez, 40, of Salinas, California, used Snapchat to send a 12-year-old girl a photo of his genitals and repeatedly demanded the child create and send him photos of herself engaged in sexually explicit conduct he directed. Ramirez also used other social media platforms, including Telegram and Wickr, to distribute child sexual abuse material including images of another female minor whom he had communicated with on Snapchat.

Ramirez is scheduled to be sentenced on May 11, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Craig H. Missakian for the Northern District of California made the announcement.

The Department of Homeland Security is investigating the case.

Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Neal Hong for the Northern District of California are prosecuting the case.