Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A Lawrence man, Alex Bou, was sentenced on April 16 in federal court in Boston to four years in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to using an interstate facility to transmit information about a child.
Bou, age 22, admitted guilt in January to one count of using an interstate facility concerning a minor. He was arrested and charged in August 2025. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Bou responded on Aug. 17, 2025, to an online advertisement posted by undercover law enforcement that featured images and language suggesting it was from a young female. Bou initiated contact by texting the number listed on the ad.
During conversations with an undercover agent posing as a minor, Bou learned he was communicating with someone claiming to be a 15-year-old girl offering sex acts for money. After being told her age, Bou replied "Ok are you a virgin?" He agreed via text message to pay $175 for unprotected sex and acknowledged she was underage before traveling to the address provided by the agent where he was arrested.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Boston Division announced the sentence. "Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Boston Police Department," Foley said. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Craig E. Estes prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is described as "a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse," launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006.
The U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts enforces federal laws through prosecutions including national security threats and civil rights violations according to its official website. The office advances community initiatives focused on civil rights and violence prevention according to its official website, operates out of several facilities including at John Joseph Moakley United States Federal Courthouse in Boston according to its official website, employs over 200 attorneys and staff according to its official website, serves all residents statewide according to its official website, handles both criminal prosecutions and civil litigation while promoting public safety since its founding as one of America's earliest such offices dating back to 1789 according to its official website.
If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.
