Andrew Juarez, a 28-year-old Baltimore resident, was arrested on September 5, 2025, in Washington, D.C., and charged with traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a nine-year-old girl. The arrest took place at a bar where Juarez had arranged to meet someone he believed was the girl's mother. Law enforcement officials from the FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force made the arrest.
Authorities reported that Juarez was found carrying two cell phones at the time of his arrest. During an interview with task force agents, Juarez stated that one of his phones contained child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced the charges against Juarez. "Juarez was arrested Sept. 5, 2025, at a bar in the District where he had gone to meet who he thought was the mother of the girl. He was taken into custody by members of FBI Washington Field Office and Metropolitan Police Department’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force."
The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to address child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood brings together federal, state, and local resources to identify and prosecute individuals who exploit children online and to rescue victims. More information about this program can be found at www.justice.gov/psc.
The investigation involved both FBI agents and detectives from regional agencies as part of a specialized task force focused on child exploitation and human trafficking cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell is prosecuting the case.
