CONCORD - Dagoberto Duarte, 22, of Dorchester, Massachusetts pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday to transportation of a minor for the purpose of sexual activity, United States Attorney Scott W. Murray announced today.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 10, 2018, the Londonderry Police Department was informed that a 13-year-old female was missing. Officers responded to her residence to investigate. During the investigation, the Londonderry officers were told that the minor female had been communicating with a man online and that they had made plans to meet.
The mother of the minor female received a call from Duarte telling her that he had taken her daughter to Boston. A law enforcement officer spoke with Duarte who said the minor female had been dropped off at a bus station. Boston police officers were notified and officers were able to locate the minor female.
On July 3, 2018, Duarte was arrested by police officers in Boston. Duarte later admitted that he had picked up the minor female in New Hampshire and driven her to Massachusetts, where they engaged in sexual activity.
Duarte is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 26, 2020. A native of Honduras, Duarte faces likely removal from the United States as a result of this conviction.
“The internet has made it possible for predators to target children in their own homes," said U.S. Attorney Murray. “Protecting young people against this type of victimization is a top priority for law enforcement. When predators seek to take advantage of innocent children, we will not hesitate to bring federal charges against them. I commend the work of the law enforcement officers in this case for their quick response to this situation and their efforts to bring this predator to justice."
“It is incomprehensible that anyone would seek to take advantage of a child’s vulnerability like Duarte has done in this case," said Jason J. Molina, acting special agent in charge for HSI Boston. “HSI and our law enforcement partners are committed to arresting anyone who preys on the innocence of a child and those predators will face justice for their abhorrent criminal acts."
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Londonderry Police Department, and the Boston Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Georgiana Konesky.
In February 2006, the Department of Justice introduced Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
