MIAMI – A former aide to the mayor of Miami has been sentenced to six years in federal prison on Monday after a teenage boy accused him of groping him at City Hall and propositioning him for sex after he sent him a lewd photograph.
Rene Pedrosa, a former spokesman for Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, resigned after the 16-year-old victim reported he had contacted him on social media and invited him to his office to talk about a website design job on Nov. 25, 2019.
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The teenage boy reported that since Pedrosa had kissed him and sexually touched him at City Hall, he sent Pedrosa shower selfies on Dec. 22, 2019, and Pedrosa invited him to his home for sex, according to the arrest report, records show.
Pedrosa, a former local reporter in Spanish-language media, was arrested on Feb. 7, 2020, after investigators accused him of sending illicit text messages and sexually assaulting the underage victim.
Federal prosecutors first charged Pedrosa with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, production of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, and attempted possession of child pornography.
In May, Pedrosa pleaded guilty to receiving child pornography as part of a plea agreement. U.S. District Judge Robert N. Scola also sentenced Pedrosa to 15 years of supervised release and ordered him to surrender on Wednesday.
This is a developing story.