LAFAYETTE – On Wednesday, June 17, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Kevin Renan Vargas Aguilera, 20, of Honduras, with Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity. He faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison for the charge.According to court documents, Vargas Aguilera is accused of transporting a 13-year-old girl from Amelia, Louisiana, to Texas in November 2025. The day of the abduction, the victim’s mother discovered the child missing and reported the matter to law enforcement who issued an endangered/missing child advisory. The indictment alleges Vargas Aguilera intended for the minor victim to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Texas authorities arrested Vargas Aguilera and were also able to safely recover the minor child. Law enforcement was alerted to the whereabouts of the child by a member of the public who had seen the missing child advisory.U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.The St.
Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Lufkin Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliott Cassidy with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Denise Duhon. An indictment is merely an allegation.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer. The case number for this matter is 6:26-cr-00247-01.This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC. ### Public Affairs United States Attorney’s Office Western District of Louisiana USALAW-News@usdoj.govwww.justice.gov/usao-wdlaTwitter @USAO_WDLA