Ventura County fugitive was in court Monday on charges of enticement of a minor and possession of child sexual abuse material
LOS ANGELES, Calif. – A fugitive who failed to appear for his arraignment on charges of contacting a minor for sex acts was arrested in Arizona and now awaits trial while in federal custody.
Christopher Michael Loza, 47, was charged in a two-count indictment filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California in January of this year following an investigation by the Ventura County Child Exploitation Task Force stated the Department of Justice in a press release Tuesday.
Investigators were conducting an undercover operation when Loza, also known by his online moniker 'ChrisLewd', allegedly made contact in an online chatroom with someone he believed to be a 15-year-old female explained the Department of Justice.
Loza made several comments indicating he wanted to have sexual contact with the person he believed to be a child, but was actually an undercover officer detailed the Department of Justice.
According to the indictment, Loa sent messages including, "How old are u...I'm 45. Is that ok?" and allegedly asked via text messages whether he could come to the person he believed to be a child's home and followed that request with a series of lewd messages, including asking if he should, "get condoms".
The indictment further alleged that Loza drove to a park in Camarillo to meet the person he believed to be a child and had a flash drive in his possession that contained child pornography.
Loza was originally arrested in 2023 on state charges filed by the Ventura County District Attorney's Office and was released after posting bail detailed the Department of Justice.
After he failed to appear for his arraignment on those charges, members of the Ventura County Child Exploitation Task Force attempted to contact him, but eventually determined he fled the area shared the Department of Justice.
On Aug. 2, 2024, officers with the Repeat Offender Program of the Phoenix Police Department contacted Loza during outreach efforts and discovered his outstanding warrant during a records check and took him into custody after he attempted to flee explained the Department of Justice.
Loza was later turned over to agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Phoenix Division and eventually transported to Los Angeles by the United States Marshals Service to face federal prosecution detailed the Department of Justice.
During his initial court appearance on Monday, Aug. 19, the court agreed with prosecutors and Loza was remanded into federal custody with a trial set for Oct. 7 stated the Department of Justice.
According to the Department of Justice, Loza faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
