FL Man Tries To Have Sex With Girl He Met Playing Online Games: Feds

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — A Florida man was accused of luring a 13-year-old girl to Dutchess County to have sex.

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said Thomas Rivera, 32, of Lauderhill, Florida, was arrested Tuesday and charged with one count of enticement of a minor.

Rivera was accused of communicating online with the 13-year-old and persuading her to meet him in the town of Poughkeepsie.

Williams said, through the use of video game chats, Rivera found and lured the teenager into meeting him in person for the purpose of exploiting her for sex.

"The conduct alleged against Rivera is assuredly terrifying to any parent," he said, "and a reminder that a seemingly innocuous video game can be utilized as a weapon by online predators.

"We urge anyone caring for children to be mindful of their children's online activities," Williams said.

According to the complaint filed in White Plains federal court, around 4:50 p.m. April 3, the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department got a call from the Town of Hyde Park Police Department about a 13-year-old being raped by someone named Thomas at a town of Poughkeepsie hotel.

Police were sent to the hotel and determined that Rivera was staying there. They went to the room and he opened the door. The 13-year-old girl was found in the bathroom. She told the police that Rivera had attempted to rape her, police said.

Prosecutors said that the child told an FBI agent that she met Rivera in February while playing an online video game. Afterward, they communicated via various gaming apps and social media platforms, including Discord and Snapchat.

The girl said she told Rivera she was 14 and in middle school; he said he was 31 and would be turning 32 in March, police said.

According to authorities, the child said that Rivera repeatedly asked her to take nude photos of herself and send them to him. He told her he was going to come to see her, so they made a plan and he picked her up near her house.

Prosecutors said, when Rivera was arrested, his phone was seized and revealed there were sexually explicit messages between the girl and him from Feb. 23 to April 3.

On April 3, Rivera was interviewed by Poughkeepsie detectives, and they said he admitted he met the girl online and they began speaking daily via voice calls and texts. He also told them they discussed sex and that he traveled to New York to see her.

Rivera was charged in the Town of Poughkeepsie Justice Court with endangering the welfare of a child and second-degree sexual abuse. He was released on bail.

The charge of enticement of a minor carries a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and maximum sentence of life in prison.

Williams said the investigation is ongoing and there may be other victims. If you have information to report, contact the FBI through its toll-free tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI.