A Louisiana man has been charged with using a chat program to entice a 14-year-old female New Jersey resident to engage in sexual activity.
The man, identified as 34-year-old Spencer W. Caudle, of Prairieville, Louisiana, was arrested on June 16, 2023.
Caudle is charged by complaint with one count each of persuading, inducing, enticing, or coercing a minor through a facility of interstate commerce into prohibited sexual activity; interstate travel with the intent to engage in illicit conduct with a minor; and possession of child pornography.
Caudle used the internet-based chat applications Whisper and Snapchat to entice the adolescent girl to engage in prohibited sexual activity
As Caudle engaged in this illicit sexual activity with the minor, the child’s sister contacted her by cell phone and told the victim, identified in court documents only as “CW,” to go to the hotel lobby.
“CW answered her phone, got off the bed, and went to the bathroom, which ended the sexual acts,” said Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent Brian Teague, in a criminal complaint. “CW’s sister asked CW for her current location and activities. CW told her sister that she was at the hotel with a man named Spencer whom she met online. CW’s sister instructed CW to leave the hotel room and stay on the phone with her. In response, CW left the hotel room, went to the hotel lobby, and waited at the hotel for family to arrive.”
He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Rukhsanah L. Singh in Trenton federal court on June 27, 2023, and was detained.
According to U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger, Caudle began interacting on online social media applications with the victim in April 2023.
Caudle’s communications with the victim were sexual in nature despite the victim informing him that she was a minor.
Caudle even expressed nervousness about being on the television show “To Catch a Predator,” but continued informing the 14-year-old girl of his desire to have sex with her.
On May 26, 2023, Caudle drove from Louisiana to meet and have sex with the victim in Toms River, New Jersey.
On May 27, 2023, after he met the girl at the Ocean County Mall, Caudle took her to his room at the Clarion Hotel in Toms River, where he performed cunnilingus and digitally penetrated the child’s vagina while she lay on a bed.
Later that night, Caudle left New Jersey to drive back to Louisiana.
Local law enforcement became aware of Caudle’s prohibited sexual activity with the victim and began an investigation. In June 2023, an undercover law enforcement officer assumed the victim’s online and cellular presence and communicated with Caudle.
During these conversations, Caudle confirmed his prior sexual acts with the victim and expressed a desire for further sexual activity. While communicating with the undercover officer, Caudle made plans to fly to New Jersey on June 16, 2023, to commit additional sexual acts on the victim.
On June 16, 2023, Caudle flew from New Orleans, Louisiana to Newark Liberty International Airport. Law enforcement arrested Caudle in the airport. A search of a laptop Caudle brought to New Jersey revealed at least 10 images and five videos of child sexual abuse.
The charge of persuading, inducing, enticing, or coercing a minor into prohibited sexual activity through an internet-based chat application carries a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
The charge of interstate travel with the intent to engage in illicit conduct with a minor carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Each count also carries a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest.
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