Eduardo Silva, Attempted Illegal Sexual Conduct, New Jersey 2020

TRENTON, N.J. - Eduardo Silva, a 42-year-old man from the Bronx, New York, is behind bars after traveling from New York to New Jersey to meet an individual he believed was a 13-year-old girl for sex, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Silva is charged in a three-count complaint with enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity, traveling from New York to New Jersey for the purpose of engaging in unlawful sexual conduct, and sending obscene materials over the Internet. He appeared today by videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zahid N. Quraishi and was detained.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Silva used an online social media application to send a message to an individual he believed was an underage girl, but who was actually an undercover federal agent. Over the course of the next several days, Silva sent a series of online communications and text messages, discussing his intent to travel and engage in sexual activity.

Silva also sent sexually explicit images of his genitals to the individual, whom he believed was a minor. On September 23, 2020, Silva was arrested when he traveled to a motel in Bordentown, New Jersey, intending to meet a 13-year-old girl for sex.

The charge of using a facility of interstate commerce to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; the charge of travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; and the charge of using the internet to transfer obscene matters to an individual who had not attained the age of 16 carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

The charges also each carry a maximum fine of $250,000 per count. Silva appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zahid N. Quraishi and was detained. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Mateo of the U.S. Attorney's Office Criminal Division in Trenton.

If you have information regarding the pending prosecution, or you believe you or someone you know may have been victimized by the defendant, the Department of Homeland Security requests that you contact them at 1-866-347-2423. Identified victims may be eligible for certain services and rights under federal and state law.

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nj/pr/new-york-man-charged-attempted-illegal-sexual-conduct-minor