Show-Me State Times

A man residing in St. Louis County has admitted to meeting a 14-year-old with the intention of engaging in sexual activity. Yeison Perdomo, aged 30, pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor.

Perdomo's interaction with the victim began in February 2024 on a dating website where the victim initially claimed to be 20 years old before later revealing she was underage. According to Perdomo’s plea agreement, they exchanged over 8,000 text messages between February 28 and March 8, discussing plans to meet for sexual purposes. Perdomo, who is unlawfully residing in the United States and is a citizen of Spain, also talked about marrying the victim when she turned 18 to obtain legal residency status.

On March 8, Perdomo picked up the victim from her school and took her to his home in Berkeley, Missouri. When she failed to return home, her family reported her missing. The Chesterfield Police Department tracked down Perdomo’s vehicle leading them to his residence. In the early hours of March 9, officers from both Berkeley and Chesterfield police departments discovered Perdomo and the victim hiding under a blanket in his car's backseat. Despite initial resistance from Perdomo requiring physical removal by police officers, he was apprehended after admitting that they had engaged in sexual activity.

Both prosecution and defense have agreed on recommending a sentence of ten years imprisonment for Perdomo at his sentencing hearing scheduled for September 18. He will be mandated to register as a sex offender and faces probable deportation following his release.

The investigation was conducted by the Chesterfield Police Department, Berkeley Police Department, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes is overseeing the prosecution.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at addressing child sexual exploitation through coordinated efforts across federal, state, and local levels.