A Hollywood man paid $550 to rape 2 teens. He just learned how much he’ll pay in freedom
A Hollywood man willing to pay $550 for an hour of statutory rape without a condom with a 13-year-old and a 15-year-old will unwillingly pay a 15-year federal prison sentence.
Ralph Tovar, a 31-year-old U.S. Veterans Affairs Medical Center worker, got sentenced Monday in Miami federal court after a jury found him guilty of two counts of attempted sex trafficking of a minor and one count of attempted enticement and coercion of a minor to engage in sexual activity.
READ MORE: Human smuggling, a truck, a school bus: a Broward child rapist goes back behind bars
The criminal complaint said Tovar answered an online prostitution advertisement offering the paid sexual services of two 21-year-old women. The ad was placed by law enforcement, however, and the undercover officer told Tovar the two females actually were girls, 13 and 15. Tovar agreed to pay $400, then $550 when the undercover officer agreed Tovar’s paid rape could be done without a condom and he could take photos of the girls.
Tovar showed up to a Doral hotel at 1 a.m. Once he handed over the cash, the complaint said, he was arrested.
The case was investigated by the Broward Sheriff’s Office, Miami-Dade police and Homeland Security Investigations’ Miami office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arielle Klepach and Eduardo Gardea Jr.
This story was originally published March 5, 2023 at 3:08 PM.
