FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DECEMBER 22, 2008			CONTACT:		United States Attorney Southern District of New York   U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE YUSILL SCRIBNER REBEKAH CARMICHAEL JANICE OH PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE (212) 637-2600

BRONX MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO USING THE INTERNET TO ENTICE A MINOR TO HAVE SEX

LEV L. DASSIN, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that FRANKIE PEREZ, a/k/a "Bxloveboy22@aol.com," a/k/a "Perez2250X@aol.com," pleaded guilty today to using the Internet to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity. According to the criminal Complaint, the Indictment to which PEREZ pleaded guilty, and statements made during PEREZ’ guilty plea proceeding before United States Magistrate Judge HENRY B. PITMAN in Manhattan federal court:

Beginning in 2005, PEREZ, who was a volunteer in a New York City public school, started sending AOL (America Online)instant messages to a 13-year-old child whom he had met at the school. On numerous occasions between 2005 and March 2008, PEREZ met and engaged in sexual activity with the child after communicating with him via instant message. PEREZ’s conduct included providing the child with alcohol in exchange for sex.

PEREZ, 29, of the Bronx, New York, pleaded guilty to one count of using a facility of interstate commerce to entice,induce, coerce, or persuade a child to engage in illegal sexual activity. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison.

PEREZ is scheduled to be sentenced on March 27, 2009, by United States District Judge DENISE L. COTE.

Mr. DASSIN praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and thanked the New York City Police Department, the New York City Department of Education, the New York City Administration for Children’s Services, and the Family Advocacy Program at Jacobi Medical Center, for their assistance in this case.