HAYS COUNTY — A San Antonio registered sex offender was arrested for child sex trafficking in Hays County last weekend.
At approximately 3:30 a.m. on Sunday, July 2, Hays County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to a residence in Kyle, Texas, regarding a runaway 10-year-old female. While on scene, deputies learned the missing minor was located in San Antonio and contact was established with her. At approximately 4:32 a.m., deputies learned the minor had returned to the area of the Kyle residence. Deputies located a white 2022 Volkswagen leaving the area and a traffic stop was conducted on the vehicle — the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle was identified as Diego Alejandro Cortez, 24.
Cortez was identified using a white 2022 Volkswagen
Upon further investigation, deputies determined Cortez is a registered sex offender out of San Antonio and enticed the juvenile victim to leave her residence. Cortez was taken into custody for Harboring a Runaway Child (Class A Misdemeanor with a $50,000 bond) and transported to the Hays County Public Safety Building. An additional charge of Child Trafficking to Engage in Sexual Conduct (First Degree Felony with a $250,000 bond) has been added.
Through follow up interviews, Hays County Sheriff’s Office investigators determined that, on more than one occasion, Cortez had sexual intercourse with the missing juvenile, as well as other children in and around San Antonio and surrounding areas.
Based on information provided, investigators know Cortez met his potential victims online, through the social media platform Snapchat and would portray himself as a young teen in attempt to gain their trust. He was known to use the Snapchat profile names: Dfordiegs and Slowbass4367.
Cortez met his potential victims online through Snapchat under two profile names
The Hays County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in identifying any other possible victims that Cortez may have contacted.
If you have information regarding this investigation or if you believe your child was a victim, please contact Sergeant Mark Opiela with the Hays County Sheriff’s Office at 512-393-7896 or email mark.opiela@co.hays.tx.us. You can also contact Crime Stoppers anonymously by calling 1-800- 324-TIPS or you can submit your information on-line to Tip Line P3tips.com as well as submit a tip on the Hays County Sheriff’s Office App. Sheriff Cutler would like to remind parents about the potential dangers of technology available to children. He encourages parents to monitor their child’s social media use, and to engage in conversations about internet safety and meeting up with people they have only met online.
Parents can find additional resources to talk with their children and teens about internet safety through the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) at https://www.missingkids.org/.
