San Angelo Man Sentenced to 245 Years for Sextortion of Minors and Adult
Juelz Sincere Armstead, 21, of San Angelo, has been sentenced to 245 years (2,940 months) in federal prison for sextorting minors and an adult across the United States. The lengthy sentence was handed down on July 15, 2025, by United States District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, following Armstead’s conviction by a Lubbock jury in April 2025.
After a four-day trial, Armstead was found guilty on five counts of production of child pornography, two counts of attempted production of child pornography, and seven counts of cyberstalking.
“The horrendous acts against each victim in this case warranted the substantial sentence imposed here,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Nancy E. Larson. “We hope that the lengthy incarceration of this defendant will assist the victims as they continue in the healing process and serve as a warning to like-minded predators that we will pursue swift justice and extensive punishment for these types of despicable crimes.”
HSI Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard emphasized the impact of the sentence: “This sentence reflects the unspeakable harm Juel Armstead inflicted on innocent victims and the tireless commitment of law enforcement to bring predators like him to justice. No amount of time can undo the trauma caused, but a 2,940-month sentence ensures this individual will never again have the opportunity to victimize a child. HSI Dallas and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in our mission to protect the most vulnerable among us and hold those who exploit them accountable.”
Evidence presented at trial revealed that over approximately three years, Armstead met his victims—nine minors and one adult—on various social media platforms. He cyberstalked and coerced them into sending sexually explicit photographs and videos, routinely threatening to expose this material to family, friends, and others if they did not create and send him more sexual abuse material.
Testimony indicated that after being arrested by the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office for his conduct in December 2022, Armstead obtained another cell phone upon his release and continued his sextortion scheme, amassing more victims until his second arrest in February 2024.
Victims from across the United States testified about the profound abuse and emotional trauma inflicted by Armstead. Many described living in fear, feeling their lives were over, experiencing the sensation of being raped by Armstead’s actions, and, in some cases, feeling suicidal. Graphic evidence was discussed, including a 14-year-old victim with tears while creating a demanded sexually explicit video, and an 18-year-old victim manipulated into filming sexually explicit videos of her 13-year-old sister due to Armstead’s threats. Tens of thousands of pages of messages and hundreds of photographs and video evidence were introduced.
At sentencing, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Mike Baker testified that additional victims were too traumatized to participate in the trial.
In delivering the 245-year sentence, Judge James Wesley Hendrix characterized Armstead’s conduct as “repeat, incessant terrorizing and bullying [of] these victims over and over again without any sign of mercy.” Judge Hendrix further stated to Armstead: “You are an incredible danger. The protection of the public is at its apex here.”
The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations—Abilene Office, with extensive assistance from numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies across multiple states, including HSI San Angelo, the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office, and various HSI offices and police departments nationwide.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Callie Woolam and Stephen Rancourt prosecuted the case, with victim-witness assistance from Kelsea Martin and the Western District of Wisconsin’s victim-witness coordinator.
