Former Miami children’s nonprofit worker charged with child exploitation

MIAMI – A federal grand jury indicted a former worker with a South Florida children’s nonprofit organization on multiple child exploitation charges, prosecutors said Thursday.

Prosecutors said Rafael Antonio Saldana, 37, worked part-time at The Children’s Movement of Florida, which describes itself as a Miami-based “nonprofit, nonpartisan movement” that advocates for “high-quality early learning opportunities, access to children’s health care, and parent support programs.”

The charges stem from a law enforcement review of a 15-year-old boy’s phone, which “revealed multiple sexually explicit images of the minor victim solicited by Saldana,” according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Prosecutors said Saldana arranged a July 13 meeting with the boy at a Miami-area McDonald’s, where he would then “drive him to Saldana’s home to engage in sexual activity with Saldana and a third, unidentified individual.”

They said Saldana arrived across the street from the fast food restaurant to meet with the boy and police later arrested him at his home.

Saldana was charged with with coercion and enticement of a minor, production of child pornography and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and could spend decades behind bars if convicted.

The nonprofit’s head sent a statement to Local 10 News Thursday evening saying the organization was “horrified” by the allegations:

“The Children’s Movement of Florida is horrified by the serious allegations of wrongdoing by one of our part-time staff. Upon learning of all this, Rafael Saldana Jr. was immediately terminated. We will fully cooperate with authorities in their pursuit of justice.

Our overarching priority and focus every day going back almost a quarter century is to tirelessly advocate and effectively work for the best possible future for all of Florida’s children. As an advocacy organization, we do not serve children directly and Saldana had no contact with children as part of his duties in the organization.”

Madeleine K. Thakur, President & CEO of The Children’s Movement of Florida