⏱ 2 min read
Gabriel Perez, a 31-year-old Air Force officer from Eastampton, New Jersey, was caught in a child exploitation sting after trying to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex. The encounter was part of an undercover operation that began in mid-August 2024, when Perez communicated with an undercover law enforcement officer on Reddit. Over two weeks, Perez expressed his interest in meeting the minor for sex, sending an obscene photograph of himself and arranging to meet her on August 29, 2024.
Perez was arrested by law enforcement when he arrived at the pre-arranged meeting location with condoms in his pocket. The investigation was led by the Air Force Office of Special Investigation, with assistance from the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and the Eastampton Police Department.
Perez has been charged with attempted enticement and coercion of a minor, as well as attempted transfer of obscene materials to a minor. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of ten years and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Belgiovine and Richard Shephard of the Criminal Division. U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer credited the law enforcement agencies involved for their work in bringing Perez to justice.
Related Federal Cases
- Roland Vance Watson, Child Pornography, North Carolina 2024 · North Carolina
- Benjamin David Harbin, Online Child Exploitation, Grand Junction CO… · Illinois
- Max Mota Pinho, Child Pornography Possession, Stamford CT, 2024 · New Mexico
- Michael Hendren, Online Child Exploitation, Lewiston ID, 2023 · Washington
- James Johnson, Sexual Abuse of a Minor, Brooklyn NY, 2023 · Illinois
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Sex Crimes
- Defendant: New Jersey
- Location: NJ
- Source: DOJ Press Release
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
Sex CrimesSex CrimesSex CrimesSex Crimes