A New York man pleaded guilty Monday to charges of coercion and enticement, accused of driving eight hours to attempt to have sex with a 14-year-old Lynchburg girl, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Derrick Loi, 27, of Lakeville, New York, faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, but could receive a life term and a possible fine of up to $250,000, the release said.
In February 2023, according to court documents, Loi began chatting with the girl on Twitter (now X) before moving the conversation to Discord, the release said. Loi told the girl he wanted to buy sexually explicit images and video of her and wanted to meet in person for sex. He ultimately agreed to pay $300 for images and a sexual encounter.
According to the release, Loi agreed to become the girl’s “sugar daddy,” getting unlimited access to sexually explicit content of the victim for a weekly fee of $50, increasing to $100 after the first month. On Feb. 15, 2023, Loi sent a payment in accordance with the agreement.
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Just more than a week later, Loi and the girl started to make plans for him to visit Lynchburg; the plans included talk of specific sexual acts and ways the acts would be filmed, according to the release. Loi reserved a hotel room, the release said, and continued to chat with the victim during his drive from New York, sending her photos of items he purchased for their encounter.
When Loi arrived at the pre-arranged location, a Lynchburg police officer began questioning him, the release said. He initially provided a false name and lied to police about why he was in Lynchburg.
A search of his vehicle revealed sex toys, a box of the morning-after pill Plan B, and the bottle of pink vodka from a photo Loi had sent to the victim, the release said. In the car’s trunk was a large yellow plastic storage bag and it was lined with a vinyl or rubber shower liner with a flattened cardboard box on top.
“Protecting minors from online predators is a cornerstone priority for the Department of Justice,” U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh said in the news release. “I am grateful to the FBI and the Lynchburg Police Department for their swift actions in this case and preventing a more dire situation.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case, and the Lynchburg Police Department provided vital assistance. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Scheff.
“This investigation demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to protecting the American people, especially when our children are involved,” Special Agent in Charge Stanley Meador, of the FBI’s Richmond Division, said in the release. “I want to thank the case team and our law enforcement partners for their quick and decisive actions.”
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a 2006 program by the Department of Justice designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse, the release said. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood brings together law enforcement resources to apprehend and prosecute those who exploit children. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.