Nathan Caylor Pleads Guilty to Luring Teen for Sex

Kansas City, Kan., man Nathan R. Caylor, 42, has pleaded guilty to luring a 14-year-old girl into repeated sexual encounters after posing as a teenager online. Caylor admitted in federal court to traveling to her home at least eight times for sex, all while using the fake name “Justin” and claiming he was just 17 years old.

U.S. Attorney Tammy Dickinson confirmed the plea, which took place before U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner. Caylor pleaded guilty to two federal counts: enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and receiving child pornography. His deception began in May 2013, when he initiated contact with the girl, referred to in court records as “Jane Doe,” through online messaging and Skype.

Caylor told the victim he had survived cancer, using the lie to explain his adult appearance. In reality, he had never been diagnosed with any illness. The conversations quickly turned explicit, and by November 2013, he arrived at her home in Blue Springs, Mo., while her parents were away. Over the next 14 months, he sent her pornographic images of himself and continued the in-person meetings.

In July 2014, law enforcement stepped in after being alerted to the predator’s behavior. A Blue Springs detective took over Jane Doe’s Facebook account and engaged Caylor in conversation. When he arranged to meet her again, claiming he’d arrive the same day, police tracked his journey by bus from Kansas City, Kan., to Independence, Mo., followed by a miles-long walk. He was arrested en route to the victim’s home.

A forensic search of Caylor’s computer uncovered a trove of child pornography, including images depicting children as young as 3 to 4 years old. The evidence sealed the severity of his crimes, linking him not only to the ongoing abuse of Jane Doe but to the broader possession of exploitative material involving prepubescent victims.

Caylor now faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in federal prison without parole, with a possible sentence of life behind bars. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Luna and investigated by the Blue Springs Police Department. It was brought under Project Safe Childhood, the DOJ’s nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation. A sentencing date will be set following a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.