A 24-year-old Brooklyn man is facing federal charges after prosecutors say he traveled to Wilmington to meet and have sex with a 14-year-old girl he allegedly groomed online. A federal grand jury has indicted Claude Lennon on enticement and travel-related sex offenses that could add up to decades behind bars if he is convicted. Prosecutors say the trip involved a train ride from New York and an Uber to the meeting spot in Wilmington.
Indictment details
According to First State Update, investigators say Lennon communicated with the 14-year-old through an online messaging platform and arranged to meet her in Wilmington. Court papers state that Lennon brought condoms, gave the minor about $80 and marijuana edibles, and that “Lennon and the victim engaged in sexual conduct constituting rape in the fourth degree under Delaware law.”
The indictment charges Lennon with one count of coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Both are federal offenses that carry heavy penalties when interstate travel and minors are involved.
Prosecutors’ account
As reported by NBC10 Philadelphia, the federal grand jury returned the indictment on Wednesday, June 24. Investigators say Lennon took a train from New York to Wilmington, then used an Uber to get to the agreed-upon meeting location with the minor.
NBC10 notes that, if Lennon is convicted on the federal counts, he faces a statutory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life. Any ultimate sentence would depend on federal guidelines and the judge’s findings in the case.
Federal charges and penalties
Federal prosecutors charged Lennon under two key child-exploitation statutes: 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b), which covers using interstate communications to coerce or entice a minor into unlawful sexual activity, and 18 U.S.C. § 2423(b), which covers travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Section 2422(b) establishes a mandatory minimum 10-year prison term when a minor is involved, and § 2423(b) lays out additional penalties tied to travel for illicit sexual purposes…