NJ Air Force Officer Tried To Coerce 14-Year-Old Girl Into Sex, Authorities Say

BURLINGTON COUNTY, NJ — A United States Air Force officer was indicted after he allegedly tried to meet up with a minor for sex.

According to the United States Attorney's Office District of New Jersey, Gabriel Perez, 31, of Easthampton, was charged in a two-count superseding indictment with one count of attempted enticement and coercion of a minor, and one count of attempted transfer of obscene materials to a minor.

In mid-August 2024, Perez, who was then 29 and an officer with the Air Force, talked over Reddit with an undercover law enforcement officer who pretended to be a 14-year-old girl.

Over a two-week period, Perez showed a desire to meet up with the girl and sent an obscene photograph of himself to the officer on Aug. 28, 2024.

He then arranged to meet "her" the next day for sex.

Then, on Aug. 29, 2024, Perez drove to the meeting location and was arrested with condoms in his pocket.

He faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of ten years and a maximum of life behind bars on the count of attempted enticement and coercion, and a maximum prison term of ten years on the materials charge.

Both offenses come with a maximum fine of $250,000.

This case was brought forward under Project Safe Childhood, the nationwide effort to combat the growing epidemic of child exploitation and abuse.

Federal, state, and local resources are marshaled in order to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who are alleged to be involved.

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