NYC man busted crossing state lines to have sex with 14-year-old girl in Charlotte

Manuel Oppenheimer, 26, of Brooklyn, New York, appeared in federal court on April 28 to face charges of traveling from Brooklyn to Charlotte, North Carolina, for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.

“The internet has been an essential tool during the COVID-19 outbreak, helping children continue their studies through remote learning and stay connected with teachers, classmates, friends and family through social media and other apps,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew Murray.

“However, more unmonitored screen time can lead to an increased risk of exposure to all the dangers that lurk on the internet, including child predators who leverage social media to target and exploit innocent children. I urge parents to take proper precautions and be extra-vigilant in monitoring their children’s online activity, so kids can continue to take advantage of all the positive things the digital world has to offer and safely use their electronic devices to enrich their lives, while staying safe from predators and other online threats.” ~ Andrew Murray, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina

According to court papers, on April 16, the Union County Sheriff’s Office received information regarding a missing 14-year-old girl who was possibly in Charlotte with an adult male, later identified as Oppenheimer. Officers were able to locate the minor at a residence in Charlotte; and the girl was returned to Union County.  Law enforcement subsequently arrested Oppenheimer.

According to the criminal complaint, law enforcement determined that Oppenheimer met the minor on “Omegle,” a free online chat website, and later began talking to the minor on “Snapchat,” a mobile app that allows users to share messages, photos, and videos.

The federal complaint alleges that Oppenheimer wanted to meet the minor in April due to the COVID-19 outbreak, otherwise it was possible their meeting would need to be postponed up to a year, until the outbreak was over.  ~ Fox News

The criminal complaint against Oppenheimer further alleged that the defendant was aware that the victim was a minor, and that he traveled from New York to Charlotte to meet with the minor for the purpose of engaging in sexual contact.

Oppenheimer is charged with one count of traveling across state lines for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity with a minor. He is currently in federal custody.

(Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of North Carolina)

Posted by: Richard Webster, Ace News Today   /   Follow Richard on Facebook and Twitter