A former Texas Department of Public Safety trooper has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to attempting to entice someone he believed was a 12-year-old girl into sexual activity.
Christian Estrada, 40, of Laredo, pleaded guilty on April 8 to a federal charge of coercion and enticement of a minor. U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo sentenced him to 120 months in federal prison, the Department of Justice announced Wednesday.
Estrada remains in federal custody pending transfer to a Bureau of Prisons facility.
Undercover Investigation Identified Estrada
The FBI conducted an undercover investigation from April through December 2025 involving an online user who went by the name “dopehound” on Reddit, Snapchat, and Telegram.
According to federal authorities, Estrada expressed sexual interest in a fictitious 12-year-old girl, repeatedly requested sexually explicit images, and discussed meeting her for sexual activity.
In November 2025, the person behind the account asked to communicate directly with the supposed girl and provided a Snapchat username. Estrada then began communicating with an undercover account he believed belonged to the child, investigators said.
Authorities obtained records from Reddit that helped identify “dopehound” as Estrada. At the time, he was a sworn DPS state trooper stationed in Laredo.
Search of Laredo Home Followed
Federal agents later executed a search warrant at Estrada’s Laredo residence while investigators interviewed him at another location. During the interview, authorities said Estrada confirmed that the “dopehound” Telegram account belonged to him.
Investigators reviewed his seized phone and discovered multiple Snapchat conversations with persons who said they were 14 or 15 years old, The Dallas Express reported. Estrada is married and has two children, ages 12 and 16.
The earlier federal investigation also found personal information associated with the online accounts that investigators said matched Estrada, including information about his residence and background.
Estrada was arrested in January 2026 after the investigation. A federal grand jury subsequently indicted him on the enticement charge.
Estrada Faces Lifetime Restrictions
In addition to the 10-year prison sentence, Estrada was ordered to serve supervised release for the rest of his life. The conditions will restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
The court noted Estrada’s position as a law enforcement officer when imposing the sentence, according to federal authorities.
“Protecting minors from the depraved schemes of online sexual predators is a top priority for the Southern District of Texas,” U.S. Attorney Aaron F. Reitz said. “If somebody takes to the internet to prey on children, they are going to find their world turned upside down by this office. I will pursue these online predators to the ends of the internet in order to protect our kids and keep perverts away from them.”
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Provided by Dallas Express
