Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A Lawrence resident has pleaded guilty in federal court to using an interstate facility to transmit information about a child. Alex Bou, 22, entered his plea before U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick in Boston. Sentencing is scheduled for April 17, 2026.
Bou was arrested and charged in August 2025 after responding to an online advertisement posted by undercover law enforcement officers on a website known for commercial sex acts. The advertisement included images and language suggesting the involvement of a minor.
According to authorities, Bou initiated contact by texting the number listed in the ad and later continued conversations with an undercover agent posing as a 15-year-old girl. During their exchange, Bou acknowledged her stated age and agreed to pay $175 for unprotected sex with the purported minor. He obtained an address from the agent and was arrested upon arrival at that location.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are determined by federal judges based on sentencing guidelines and relevant statutes.
"United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig E. Estes of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit is prosecuting the case."
Officials urge anyone impacted by or experiencing commercial sex trafficking to reach out via USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse through collaboration among federal, state, and local agencies. More details about Project Safe Childhood can be found at https://www.justice.gov/psc.
