NY man pleads guilty for attempting to have sex with teenage Lynchburg girl
ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) – The United States Department of Justice Attorney’s Office Western District of Virginia has announced that a man from New York pled guilty to attempting to have sex with an underage girl from Lynchburg.
On Monday, March 25, 27-year-old Derrick Loi of Lakeville, New York pled guilty to one count of coercion and enticement.
Court documents showed that in early February 2023, Loi began speaking with the 14-year-old Lynchburg girl on Twitter (formally known as X). Then, on Feb. 14, 2023, a Discord conversation was started where he told the teen girl he was interested in buying sexually explicit images and videos, and that he also wanted to meet her in person for sex.
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Loi then reserved a hotel room in Lynchburg and drove 8 hours to meet the 14-year-old girl with the intention of having sexual contact. When Loi arrived at the Lynchburg hotel, he was met and questioned by a Lynchburg Police Officer. Loi gave the office a false name and lied about why he was in the area.
A search of Loi’s car was conducted, during which alcohol, a large yellow plastic storage bag, lined with a vinyl or rubber shower liner, as well as a flattened cardboard box were found inside the truck.
“Protecting minors from online predators is a cornerstone priority for the Department of Justice,” United States Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said today. “I am grateful to the FBI and the Lynchburg Police Department for their swift actions in this case and preventing a more dire situation.”
Loi faces 10 years to life in prison, as well as up to a $250,000 fine. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
WFXR News will continue to update you with more information as it becomes available.
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