INDIO – A 27-year-old Corona man accused of leaving La Quinta Middle School with a then-12-year-old girl he had been communicating with through social media was sentenced Friday after pleading guilty in September.

Joshua Meza previously pleaded guilty to six counts of lewd act on a child under 14 and one count each of kidnapping a victim under 14, contacting a minor with intent to commit certain crimes, showing harmful objects to a minor . , attempting to sell sexual content to children and possessing a knife or similar object at a school, according to court records. He also pleaded guilty to the felony charge of carrying a loaded firearm in a public place.

Judge Susanne Cho sentenced Meza to three years in prison Friday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, according to Thalia Hayden of the Riverside District Attorney’s Office. Case records indicated the sentence also included a 10-year criminal protection order.

Deputies from the Thermal Sheriff’s Department responded around 1 p.m. on May 19, 2023 to La Quinta Middle School on a report of a 12-year-old girl being picked up without parental consent, according to a bail affidavit. filed in Meza’s case.

“The victim stated that she went with the suspect on purpose and admitted that they kissed and he touched her clothing, it is unknown at this time if they had sex,” the statement said. “I believe he is a flight risk because he did not provide his current address, he drove from the city of Corona to meet a child and I believe he is a danger to children in the community.”

When deputies arrived at the school, employees provided them with the license plate number of the suspect’s vehicle, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department.

At 2:14 p.m., while deputies were canvassing the area, Meza’s vehicle was found returning to the school.

Deputies searched his vehicle and found a firearm, according to the department. Meza was taken into custody without further incident and the minor was returned to her parents.

“The investigation determined that the juvenile was communicating with the suspect via social media,” RCSD Deputy David Aldrich said in a statement at the time. “The victim was not injured during the incident.”

Meza was being held at the John Benoit Detention Center in Indio on $200,000 bond. He has no prior convictions in Riverside County.