Colorado man admits to traveling to Idaho Falls to have sex with a minor
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IDAHO FALLS — A 31-year-old Colorado man pleaded guilty to traveling to Idaho to have sex with a minor.
Carlos Michael Ortega pleaded guilty on Oct. 29 to one count of felony injury to a child.
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Ortega was originally charged with felony rape where the victim is 16 or 17 years old, and the perpetrator is three or more years older than the victim.
On Oct. 25, he signed a plea agreement, where he agreed to plead guilty to an amended charge of felony injury to a child in exchange for the prosecution recommending a minimum of five years in prison and requiring a no-contact order to remain in place between Ortega and the victim for his entire sentence.
Ortega is expected to appear for sentencing on Jan. 8.
Background
On Jan. 25, an Idaho Falls police officer took a report from Jefferson County that a 17-year-old girl had been picked up from her home and taken to Idaho Falls by a man identified as Ortega.
According to court documents, Ortega had sex with the victim in Idaho Falls.
The officer scheduled a forensic interview for the victim, who said Ortega picked her up at home and took her to The Hampton Inn in Idaho Falls on Jan. 6.
While at the hotel, the victim says they had sex.
When an officer called Ortega, he confirmed he had traveled from Colorado to Idaho and picked up the victim.
Ortega said he and the victim had been talking, and he “perceived their relationship to be romantic.”
During the interview, Ortega initially said the victim was 18-years-old, but later said she was 17-years-old.
He allegedly stopped at a gas station to buy condoms before taking the victim to the hotel.
Ortega was incarcerated in the Pueblo County Jail in Colorado during the Idaho investigation. It is not clear what he was incarcerated in Colorado for.
A warrant from Bonneville County was issued for Ortega on April 1, and was served on May 8.
Ortega was given a bond of $30,000, and has been at the Bonneville County Jail since his arrest.