St. Croix Man Who Tried to Solicit a Child Online Sentenced for Attempted Coercion and Enticement for Illegal Sexual Activity

St. Croix, USVI – Josue Navarro, 37 of St. Croix, was sentenced Friday for attempted coercion and enticement for illegal sexual activity, United States Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert announced.

Chief District Court Judge Wilma A. Lewis sentenced Navarro to 30 months and three years of supervised release. Judge Lewis also ordered him to pay a fine of $1,000 and a $100 special assessment.

On August 30, 2018, Navarro pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement for illegal sexual activity. According to the plea agreement filed in court, on or about June 23, 2017 to June 25, 2017, law enforcement officers operating in an undercover capacity, created and posted ads online. The post was captioned “home 4 the summer, looking fun in the sun NSA.” The ad was posted by a law enforcement officer posing as a 14-year-old female named “Niema.”

On June 24, 2017 at 8:43 p.m., “Niema” asked the defendant if he brought something “cause I don’t wanna get pregnant, my mother will kill me,” to which the defendant responded “yes.” At 9:03 p.m. “Niema” told the defendant she was 14. At 9:18 p.m., the defendant said “[L]emme come get you n we go get whatever it is u want.”

At 11:02 the defendant texted the following to “Niema” and in highly graphic language, offered suggestions as to methods and means for sexual penetration which defendant offered to provide to “Niema”.

On June 25, 2017, at 1:19 p.m., the defendant texted “Niema,” asking “to engage in other sex acts involving carnal knowledge.

At 4:35 p.m., the defendant told “Niema” “[L]et me come pick you up.” The defendant was to meet with “Niema at an arranged location in St. Croix and was taken into custody by law enforcement.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry.