This Kennewick man groomed victims on Facebook. Prison won't be his only punishment

A 21-year-old Kennewick man will spend 15 years in prison after preying on teen girls across the Tri-Cities.

Valentin A. Castrejon pleaded guilty to eight counts across three cases between Benton and Franklin counties, including three counts of child molestation.

Benton and Franklin county prosecutors said the undocumented immigrant connected with thousands of under-aged girls through Facebook, intending to convince them to have sex with him.

The spree marks a change in the method sexual predators attract victims, said Benton County Deputy Prosecutor Anita Petra.

"Young men get online and they cast a net out there, and they're looking for vulnerable victims," Petra said. "They're looking for young girls who may have low self-esteem that may want or desire a relationship and meet people online."

A Pasco woman learned in 2016 that her daughter was one of his victims, according to court documents.

The girl told detectives she met Castrejon early that year at a party and stayed in touch through Facebook and text messages before they had sex.

During the investigation of that case, detectives learned of a possibly 2015 victim in Benton County.

Then, while out on bail in the 2016 Franklin County case, he lured a Kennewick girl into having sex with him.

Avoiding a trial saves the children in this case more trauma, Petra said.

"I think it's important that Mr. Castrejon truly understand the impact of the crimes he has done, not only to these young girls but also to the families," she said.

Castrejon will be deported after he serves his sentence.

Defense attorney Scott Johnson agreed to the plea, but he raised his concerns about the deportation.

"I'm beside myself with the fact that he's going to get deported back to a country that he really doesn't know," he said.

Johnson said the Kennewick man left Mexico when he was 7 and doesn't have any family or connections there.

He said would not have accepted the plea deal if he hadn't been pressured by federal prosecutors, who threatened to bring charges against Castrejon. He would have faced 20 years to 30 years in federal prison.

"It's one of the cases that as an attorney I can stamp my feet and say, 'I don't like it,' but it doesn't change the fact that if we fought these cases we probably would have lost," Johnson said.

Judge Bruce Spanner was not sympathetic to Castrejon's position.

He said all undocumented immigrants should be deported, especially one that left so much damage behind him. The victims will likely never recover.

"I have a friend, and I listen to his voice sometimes, and I hear him say, 'Are you kidding me?'" Spanner said. "A man convicted of this many sex crimes that is not deported? Are you kidding me?"

Cameron Probert: 509-582-1402; Twitter @cameroncprobert

This story was originally published April 27, 2018 at 5:31 PM with the headline "This Kennewick man groomed victims on Facebook. Prison won't be his only punishment."