Mass. Man Pleads Guilty To Illicit Sexual Conduct Charge

CONCORD, NH — A Bay State man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to admitting to trying to have sex with an underage girl – that was actually a police officer – at a Nashua hotel in October 2018. Jean Fouad Yazbek, 63, of Norwood, MA, engaged in an online conversation with a Nashua police officer that had created an online persona of a 15-year-old girl. The officer’s persona began receiving messages from “various individuals,” including Yazbek, soon after a social media account was created.

Yazbek engaged in “sexually-charged conversations” with the officer between Oct. 2, and Oct. 8, 2018, where he discussed his desire to engage in various sex acts, including intercourse, believing that the persona was a girl.

On Oct. 8, Yazbek drove from Massachusetts to Nashua to meet with the girl and engage in conduct at the hotel. When he arrived, Yazbek found police officers instead and was arrested.

Yazbek admitted to planning to meet with the girl and noted that he had checked into another room in the hotel prior to the meeting. In that room, police found a new phone, teddy bear, undergarments, and a backpack containing condoms and other items.

“Protecting the children of New Hampshire from predators is a very high priority of the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” said U.S. Attorney Scott Murray. “Those who seek to prey on the innocent frequently use the internet as a tool to advance their criminal intentions. Working through Project Safe Childhood, we will remain vigilant in coordinating law enforcement efforts to arrest and prosecute offenders against children.”

Peter C. Fitzhugh, a special agent in charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, in Boston, agreed.

“We’re glad that, through great federal, state and local law enforcement teamwork, this sexual predator has now been brought to justice,” he said. “This result could never have happened without the solid, critical teamwork of our dedicated partners on the New Hampshire Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Nashua Police Department.”

Along with ICE and the task force, Nashua police assisted with the investigation. Yazbek will be sentenced in August.