A North Providence man was found guilty of attempting to sex traffic a child, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Justin Duffer, 36, was found guilty following a multi-day trial, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a media release.
"According to evidence presented at trial, Duffer responded to an online advertisement and communicated with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as an intermediary," the release said. "During these communications, Duffer agreed to pay for a commercial sex act involving a person he believed to be under the age of 14 and traveled to a meeting location, where he paid an undercover officer $120 in cash before being arrested."
In the release, Homeland Security Investigations New England Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Grimming credited the Warwick Police Department for its work on the case.
"Duffer arrived at a hotel with cash in hand, fully prepared to pay to sexually abuse an innocent child," Grimmer said in the release. "Fortunately, instead of a child, special agents and police detectives were waiting for him. Now, a jury has found him guilty and he's off the streets and facing serious prison time."
Duffer's sentencing was scheduled for Jan. 6. He faces of maximum sentence of life in prison.
"There is no acceptable circumstance in which a child becomes something to be bought, sold, or sexually exploited," First Assistant United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda said in the release.
"Justin Duffer believed he was paying for sexual access to a child and took concrete steps to make that happen," Calenda said. "Protecting children from those who seek to exploit them is among the most serious responsibilities we have, and we will continue to pursue those who fuel the demand for child sex trafficking."
See also:
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
North Providence Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.