A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper has been indicted on a federal charge of trying to entice someone he believed was a 12-year-old girl into sexual activity following an FBI undercover operation.
Who is Christian Estrada?
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Christian Estrada, 39, of Laredo, was taken into custody on January 8 for coercion and enticement of a minor, according to court documents. He was promptly suspended by the Texas DPS.
If convicted, the charge ranges from ten years to life in prison.
Details of the FBI undercover sting in Laredo
According to a criminal complaint and supporting affidavit submitted in the case, an FBI online undercover employee began communicating with a Telegram user identified as “dopehound” in April 2025.
Over the course of several months, the user allegedly exhibited sexual interest in the undercover agent’s fictitious 12-year-old daughter, asked nude images, and discussed the possibility of meeting for sexual activities.
According to investigators, the user later talked directly with someone he believed to be the 12-year-old girl, who was also an undercover agent, requesting sexually explicit images and participating in sexual grooming.
Texas officials on operations
The FBI said it identified the Telegram user using records obtained from Reddit and other platforms, and the account was linked to Estrada, a sworn DPS trooper stationed in Laredo.
According to the affidavit, during a January 8 search of Estrada’s home, he admitted that certain biographical facts matched the online personas and recognized the Telegram account as his own.
His phone was seized, and officials claimed uncovering other discussions with people aged 14 and 15.
A judge ordered Estrada’s detention pending trial, citing charges that he propositioned an undercover agent posing as a father to have sex with a bogus 12-year-old and later talked directly with the alleged youngster.
The judge also acknowledged the government’s claim that a search of Estrada’s phone turned up numerous conversations with children.
Federal charges, potential prison sentence
According to court documents, Estrada has been charged with a federal felony involving a minor and faces a hefty jail sentence if convicted.
The criminal case is pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, while the Texas Department of Public Safety conducts an administrative inquiry.
