Somerville Man Traveled Overseas For Sex With Minor: Cops

SOMERVILLE, NJ — A Somerville man who traveled overseas to have sex with a minor was arrested, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

James A. Diggs, 44, of Somerville is charged with one count of online enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and one count of foreign travel to engage in criminal sexual activity.

Between September 2018 and February 2019, Diggs used an online messaging app to persuade a minor in the Philippines to engage in sexual activity, according to documents filed in this case and statements made in court.

Diggs also asked the minor through the app to engage in sexual acts with him in return for money or material objects such as a cell phone, clothes or "sexy" underwear, according to the complaint.

Diggs encouraged the minor to keep their relationship secret because the minor was underage. In October 2018, Diggs traveled from New Jersey to the Philippines to meet and engage in sexual activity with the minor, authorities said.

Diggs also used an online messaging app to entice and coerce three other minor victims in the Philippines to engage in unlawful sex acts. Between February 2015 and February 2019, Diggs traveled to the Philippines on at least seven occasions, authorities said.

Diggs could face a maximum potential penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine for the online enticement of a minor charge. He could also face a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the foreign travel to engage in criminal sexual activity charge.

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.

Get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here. Don't miss local and statewide announcements. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.