Portland, OR. — A Portland man has been arrested and charged in federal court with sex trafficking of a child, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Tyler Matthew Mandera, 25, made his initial appearance Tuesday after a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging he recruited and enticed a minor to engage in commercial sex acts between October 11 and October 14, 2025. Mandera pleaded not guilty and was ordered detained until trial. A jury trial is scheduled for February 3, 2026.
If convicted, Mandera faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, a lifetime term of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation with assistance from the Tigard Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliza Carmen Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.
Federal prosecutors emphasized that the indictment is only an accusation and that Mandera is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a national Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation by coordinating federal, state, and local law-enforcement resources.
Officials also encouraged the public to report suspected human trafficking. The National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline is available 24/7 at 1-888-373-7888 or by texting 233733.
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