A New York man who drove 8 hours to attempt to have sex with a 14-year-old Virginia girl with whom he had been chatting online pled guilty on Monday.
Derrick Loi, 27, of Lakeville, New York, pled guilty yesterday to one count of coercion and enticement. At sentencing, Loi faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison, as well as a potential fine of up to $250,000.
“Protecting minors from online predators is a cornerstone priority for the Department of Justice,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “I am grateful to the FBI and the Lynchburg Police Department for their swift actions in this case and preventing a more dire situation.”
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“This investigation demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to protecting the American people, especially when our children involved,” Special Agent in Charge Stanley Meador of the FBI’s Richmond Division said today. “I want to thank the case team and our law enforcement partners for their quick and decisive actions.”
According to court documents, in early February 2023, Loi met a 14-year-old girl from Lynchburg on Twitter (now known as X), and, in the early morning hours of February 14, 2023, began chatting with her on Discord. Loi told the young girl not only was he was interested in buying sexually explicit images and videos of her, but also wanted to meet her in person to have sex.
Ultimately, Loi agreed to pay the victim $300 to have sex and to provide sexually explicit images.
Loi and the victim agreed that Loi would become the victim’s “sugar daddy” and that he would get unlimited access to the sexually explicit content of the victim for a weekly fee of $50, which would increase to $100 after the first month. On February 15, 2023, Loi sent the victim a payment in line with that agreement.
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On February 22, 2023, Loi and the victim began discussing plans for Loi to travel to meet the victim, including a discussion on specific sex acts and how he would film them.
After reserving a hotel room in Lynchburg, Loi chatted periodically with the young girl throughout his 8-hour drive from New York and also took time to send her a picture of items that he brought for their sexual encounter.
Just as Loi arrived at the pre-arranged location, an officer from the Lynchburg Police Department drove up and began questioning Loi. Initially, Loi provided a false name and lied to law enforcement about why he was in Lynchburg.
A subsequent search of Loi’s vehicle revealed sex toys, a box of the morning-after pill Plan B, and the bottle of pink vodka from an earlier photo that Loi had sent to the victim. The trunk of the car contained a large yellow plastic storage bag and was lined with a vinyl or rubber shower liner, on top of which sat a flattened cardboard box.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, and the Lynchburg Police Department provided vital assistance.
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