A Connecticut man was sentenced to 28 years in federal prison for child sexual abuse following his extradition from Spain in 2023.

Kristian Ignacio Feliz, 24, of Danbury was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Jane Beckering for sexually exploiting a child, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten said in a statement Thursday.

During sentencing, Beckering recalled the “manipulative” and violent nature of Feliz’s crimes, which she said would impact the victim “for the rest of her life.”

According to court records, in October 2022, Feliz was a 23-year-old graduate student studying quantum physics in Barcelona, Spain. He reportedly struck up an online relationship with a 12-year-old girl living in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

“Feliz told the girl that he loved her and called her ‘my little wife,’ while at the same time repeatedly pressuring her to create and send him pornographic videos,” court records show.

In January 2023, Feliz traveled to Michigan and reportedly recorded videos of himself abusing the girl in her home over three days, according to court records. After leaving town, Feliz reportedly told the girl to sell the videos online and send the money to his accounts.

Feliz was indicted in March 2023. Spanish Guardia Civil arrested him in June 2023 in Barcelona, at the request of the United States, according to federal authorities. Authorities noted that the extradition proceedings took place in the Spanish judiciary system, “through which Feliz consented to be extradited to the United States in August.”

CT man charged with child sex crimes tracked to Spain. He was brought back to face justice.

“Every child deserves to grow up safe, healthy, and free from abuse,” Totten said. “In this case, a sexual predator living abroad targeted a child in Kalamazoo, traveled here to abuse her, and then left the country. Working closely with state, federal, and international partners, we made sure Feliz was hauled back to Michigan to face justice in our courts. Let today’s sentence serve as a warning that my office takes the protection of children extremely seriously.”

The FBI and Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety investigated the case and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Department of State helped to secure Feliz’s arrest and extradition in November 2023, officials said.

“Today’s sentencing is a shining example of the brilliant interagency and international coordination between the FBI’s Western Michigan Violent Crime Task Force, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the Government of Spain,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. No matter how far away those who commit these crimes may be, we will use all of our available resources to extradite you to the U.S. to face justice.”