Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Enticement of a Minor

A 56-year-old man living in Minnesota pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity in federal district court in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The defendant, Richard Martin Lehner, admitted to communicating with an individual he believed to be a 15-year-old girl on an online dating application over the course of three months. He repeatedly sent sexually explicit messages to convince her to engage in sexual activities with him.

Lehner then booked a flight from Minnesota to Florida and a hotel room in Palm Beach Gardens, where he believed the girl lived. He purchased condoms and drove to a restaurant where he planned to meet the girl, with the intention of taking her to his hotel room for sex.

Law enforcement officers arrested Richard Martin Lehner when he arrived at the restaurant.

Richard Martin Lehner pleaded guilty to one count of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity. Sentencing for Lehner is set for November 3, 2024, at 10:30 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Donald Middlebrooks. Lehner faces a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison up to a maximum of life in prison.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The investigation was conducted by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami, West Palm Beach Office, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon O’Shea Darsch is prosecuting this case.

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