EUGENE, Ore. — A Eugene man has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for attempting to entice a minor and soliciting sexually explicit images involving children, federal prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Gino J. Hinojos-Castle, 34, received a sentence of 144 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. A federal judge also ordered him to pay restitution to victims depicted in child sexual abuse material (CSAM) that investigators determined he had exchanged online.
“The exploitation of children is among the most reprehensible crimes we prosecute,” said U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon in a statement. “Today’s 12-year sentence reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s conduct and the lasting harm these offenses inflict on victims. Our office, together with our law enforcement partners, remains committed to identifying, investigating, and prosecuting those who exploit children, and to ensuring that offenders are held fully accountable under federal law.”
According to court documents, Hinojos-Castle used the social media platform Kik on Aug. 12 and Oct. 14, 2024, to communicate with a minor and the father of another minor, requesting sexually explicit images of the children.
Federal prosecutors said that between June 2024 and July 2025, Hinojos-Castle distributed CSAM to other Kik users and sent messages describing past instances in which he claimed to have sexually abused minors in a Eugene park.
The investigation led to Hinojos-Castle’s arrest on July 24, 2025, when federal agents executed a search warrant and seized his cellphone upon his arrival at the Eugene Airport following an out-of-state trip. Investigators discovered CSAM-related chat applications and child sexual abuse material on the device, which prosecutors said he had transported from Wyoming.
A federal grand jury in Eugene returned a six-count indictment against Hinojos-Castle on Sept. 18, 2025. The charges included attempted enticement of a minor, attempting to use a minor to produce sexually explicit images, and transportation, distribution, and receipt of child pornography.
On Jan. 28, 2026, Hinojos-Castle pleaded guilty to one count of attempted enticement of a minor.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. McLaren.
Federal officials noted that child sexual abuse material documents the exploitation and abuse of real children and that the sharing of such images online can repeatedly traumatize victims. The case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse through coordinated efforts among federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Authorities encourage anyone seeking information about child exploitation prevention and victim resources to visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
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