PROVIDENCE — A New Jersey man arrested by Rhode Island State Police and Homeland Security Investigations in January after he traveled to RI believing he was going to have sex with a 9th grade student was sentenced today to 46 months in federal prison.
Amish Jayant Patel, 47, of Swedesboro, New Jersey, communicated online for nearly a month with a person he thought was a 14-year-old, 9th grade Rhode Island student. During the exchange of messages, Patel sent the girl photographs of himself and several sexually explicit images. He arranged to meet with the girl in Rhode Island on Jan. 5, 2020, purchase alcohol for them to share, and to engage in illicit sexual activity.
The person he was actually communicating with was a Rhode Island State Police Detective assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
According to court documents, when Patel arrived at T.F. Green Airport on Jan. 5, he was followed by undercover law enforcement officers and agents as he deplaned, as he traveled to a local liquor store where he purchased alcohol, and then traveled to a pre-determined location where he was expecting to meet with the 14-year-old girl. He was arrested without incident.
Patel pleaded guilty on March 12, 2020, to traveling interstate to engage in illicit sexual activity. At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. sentenced Patel to 46 months in federal prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, and to pay a mandatory assessment of $5,000 as provided for in the Justice for Victims Trafficking Act, announced United States Attorney Aaron L. Weisman, Rhode Island State Police Superintendent Colonel James M. Manni, and Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael S. Shea.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker.
Author: Rob Borkowski
Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at editor@warwickpost.com with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.
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