Acting U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan announced that a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Brandon Thomas Kern, 27, of Bayport, New York, with enticement and interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
According to court documents, on October 7, 2021, law enforcement officers with the North Olmstead Police Department began an investigation into the online communications between the defendant and a minor victim through a mobile social media application after the victim contacted the police. During the investigation, officers allegedly determined that the defendant had traveled from New York to Ohio with the intent to engage in sexual conduct with the minor.
Officers were able to locate the defendant through his online conversation with the victim, and he was subsequently arrested.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, a defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.
This investigation was conducted by the Cleveland FBI and North Olmsted Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Margaret A. Kane.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
