Family Fears Missing 9-Year-Old Was Abducted and Trafficked After Man Is Sentenced for Pornographic Images of Her

A Florida man suspected in the disappearance of a 9-year-old girl in 2016 was sentenced Monday to 40 years in federal prison for producing pornographic photos of her before she went missing, PEOPLE confirms.

Jorge Guerrero Torres, 29, was sentenced on Monday after being convicted in May for having sexually-explicit images of Diana Alvarez, who went missing in 2016 and with whom authorities allege Torres had a sexual relationship, a Florida District Court official tells PEOPLE.

At his sentencing hearing on Monday, Diana’s mother pleaded with Torres to reveal where her daughter was, according to the News-Press.

“Please tell me where my daughter is; look me in the face and tell me,” Rita Hernandez said through an interpreter, the paper reports.

Diana was reported missing by her family on May 29, 2016, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by PEOPLE.

During their investigation, deputies learned that Torres had lived with the girl and her family in their mobile home from September 2015 to early May 2016. The family alleged they kicked Torres out after he they suspected he was having an “inappropriate relationship” with Diana.

The documents allege Hernandez’s ex-husband overheard Torres making what he believed were alarming comments about Diana. “Guerrero-Torres was telling people that Diana was growing into a big beautiful woman and how pretty she was becoming,” the documents allege.

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When police attempted to reach Torres at his home, he had already fled, the documents state. By using GPS location services, investigators pinged Torres’ cell phone and located it in the Daytona Beach area. Authorities recovered the phone from a man who claimed he found it in Orlando and tried to use it but wasn’t able to unlock the device.

Upon further investigation, authorities discovered eight pornographic images of a naked girl on the phone, later identified as Diana.

While being questioned by police, Torres allegedly admitted to having a sexual relationship with Diana and to taking photos of her, the documents allege.

“[Torres]’ said the sex acts with Diana would happen usually about once a week and they started when he moved into the residence,” the documents allege. “[He] said the sex acts continued the entire time he lived in the house with Diana.”

On Tuesday, a day after he had been sentenced to prison for child pornography charges, Lee County officials charged Torres with two additional felonies against the girl: lewd or lascivious molestation of a victim less than 12 years of age and battery of a child, the family’s attorney, Thomas Busatta, tells PEOPLE.

“Our investigation leaves us confident that Jorge Guerrero-Torres played a role in Diana’s disappearance,” Lee County Undersheriff Carmine Marceno said, the News Press reports. “Our focus has always been and continues to revolve around bringing Diana home.”

However, Busatta says Diana’s family now fears she is either dead or has become part of an international sex ring.

“She could be in a sex trade [ring] and who knows what else,” Busatta says. “So there’s still a mystery out there.”

Torres is being held on no bond, according to Busatta. His lawyer could not be reached for comment. It is unclear when he is scheduled to appear in court next.

He has not yet been charged in Diana’s disappearance.

Anyone with information in Diana’s case is urged to call the Lee County Sheriff’s Office at (239) 477-1000. Or, to remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1000, call Southwest Florida Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS.