A Reno man has been sentenced to life prison in connection with a Human Exploitation and Trafficking (HEAT) case.
56-year-old Carlos Fletcher previously pleaded guilty to Attempted Kidnapping of a Minor and Being a Habitual Felon.
Prosecutors say in May 2022, a detective with the HEAT team went to Fletcher’s home, searching for a missing 14-year-old girl who was possibly being sex trafficked. Fletcher told police that the girl had been staying at his apartment but had just left.
Authorities say a short time later when law enforcement returned to the apartment, again seeking the 14-year-old, they found a 16-year-old girl who was also known to be a sex trafficking victim.
Prosecutors say Fletcher’s parole officer and a detective searched his phone, where they found a conversation between Fletcher and the girl discussing sex.
At the same time, a member of the HEAT team posed as a 15-year-old girl online and sent Fletcher a friend request which he immediately responded to. Prosecutors say once he believed he was talking to a child, he requested nude photographs, sent explicit messages, and offered to pay for sex. Then authorities say within two hours of Fletcher, he then tried to meet up with the believed child and was arrested by law enforcement.
He'll be eligible for parole after serving 10 years.
