Kansas man pleads guilty after luring missing Murray teen across state lines

FOX23 News at 9 p.m.

MURRAY, Ky., (KBSI) — A Kansas man has pleaded guilty to multiple charges after a 2024 investigation that began when a 14-year-old from Murray was reported missing.

According to the Murray Police Department, officers received a report of the missing juvenile on Nov. 18, 2024. The investigation revealed that the teen had been lured to Wichita, Kansas, by 21-year-old Samuel Loredo. Working with Kansas authorities, officers safely located the juvenile the following day.

Detectives with the Wichita Police Department’s Exploited and Missing Child Unit conducted a follow-up investigation, leading to charges against Loredo. On Oct. 3, 2025, Loredo pleaded guilty to Criminal Sodomy, Indecent Liberties with a Child, Aggravated Interference with Parental Custody, and Sexual Exploitation of a Child.

The Murray Police Department urges parents to discuss internet safety with their children and to stay aware of who they are communicating with online.

Officials also remind the public that any person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.