Full Notification

On May 13, 2025, Cristian Ceja, 28, of Turlock, California, was sentenced to 15 years and 8 months in federal prison by the United States District Court, Eastern District of California. Ceja was convicted of Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity.

The case began in August 2023, when detectives with the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit (SVU) were alerted to the disappearance of a minor from the 200 block of F Street in Turlock. Initial leads were scarce, and the investigation remained open for several months.

A critical breakthrough occurred when the missing minor reestablished contact with a family member through social media, expressing a desire to return home but indicating she was unable to leave her current situation. Detectives were able to leverage this communication to trace her location to a remote area near Kamiah, Idaho.

On January 3, 2024, the Idaho County Sheriff’s Office located and safely recovered the victim. Ceja was taken into custody at the scene and transported to the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center the following day. The investigation revealed that Ceja had taken the victim from her Turlock home in August 2023 and transported her across state lines to Idaho, where they lived in a camper trailer lacking running water and heat.

The successful resolution of this case was the result of a coordinated effort between the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, the Idaho County Sheriff’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea Kenny, who prosecuted the case in the Eastern District of California.