NRI Kirtan Patel Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation Charges,
Faces 10 Years to Life in Prison

Los Angeles/Dec 19, 2024
NRIpress.club/Ramesh/A.Gary Singh

Kirtan Patel, a 24-year-old Indian national, has admitted guilt to charges of attempting to lure a minor into sexual activity, according to U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg. Patel now faces a significant prison sentence, ranging from a minimum of 10 years to a maximum of life imprisonment in federal prison. A date for sentencing has not yet been determined.  

The plea agreement reveals that between May 22 and 24, 2024, Patel engaged in online communication with an individual he believed to be a 13-year-old girl. Unbeknownst to Patel, this individual was an undercover special agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The conversations between Patel and the agent became sexually explicit. Patel was subsequently arrested after traveling to a location in Marion County with the intention of engaging in sexual activity with the supposed minor.  

The investigation leading to Patel’s arrest was a collaborative effort between Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006. This project aims to combat the increasing problem of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Under the leadership of United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood brings together federal, state, and local resources to identify, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children. The initiative also focuses on identifying and rescuing victims of such exploitation. Patel's guilty plea underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to protect children from online predators.

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