A Virginia truck driver has admitted in federal court to transporting a minor across state lines with the intent to engage in sexual activity, according to an announcement from Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
David Romero Reyes, 55, of Stafford, Virginia, pleaded guilty as charged by indictment for transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. There was no plea agreement filed in this case. Sentencing is scheduled for December 2, 2025. The sentence will be determined by a federal district judge after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In April 2021, Romero Reyes was detained by Naval Station Newport Police during a routine background check prior to making a delivery at the Navy base. Authorities discovered he was wanted in Texas on a felony assault of a child charge. During an inspection of his truck, police found a young girl inside the sleeping compartment. Medical examination at Hasbro Children’s Hospital revealed she was about five months pregnant. The girl had been reported missing from her home in Virginia since July 2020 when she was 14 years old. Investigators determined that Romero Reyes was known to both the girl and her family before her disappearance.
The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Ronald R. Gendron and John P. McAdams.
The investigation involved Naval Station Newport Police, the FBI, and Rhode Island State Police.
This case falls under Project Safe Childhood, which is an initiative led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse nationwide by coordinating federal, state, and local resources to locate offenders and rescue victims. More information about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc
“David Romero Reyes, 55, of Stafford, Virginia, pleaded guilty as charged by way of indictment with transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. No plea agreement was filed in this matter. He is scheduled to be sentenced on December 2, 2025. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.”
“In April 2021, Romero Reyes was detained by Naval Station Newport Police when a routine background check conducted prior to his being allowed to enter the Navy base to make a delivery determined that he was wanted in Texas on a charge of felony assault of a child. The young girl was located inside the sleeping compartment of the truck during a routine inspection. The girl, determined through a medical examination at Hasbro Children’s Hospital to be approximately five months pregnant, was reported missing from her Virginia home in July 2020, when she was 14 years old. An investigation determined that Romero Reyes was known to the girl and to her family prior to her disappearance.”
“The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ronald R. Gendron and John P. McAdams.”
“The matter was investigated by the Naval Station Newport Police, FBI, and Rhode Island State Police.”
“This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc“
