EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A 27-year-old man from Las Cruces was indicted in a federal court in El Paso on Wednesday, Oct. 4, and was charged with coercion and enticement of a minor, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office from the Western District of Texas.
The Attorney’s Office says Bradley Fariss Pieper, 27, was arrested on Saturday, Sept. 9, by Homeland Security Investigations agents, after he attempted to meet with “a person he believed was a 15-year-old girl for the purpose of performing sexual acts with her.”
Pieper had reportedly arranged the meeting and communicated his intentions through chats on social media, according to the Attorney’s Office.
After his arrest, Pieper made his initial court appearance on Monday, Sept. 11. He then had a detention hearing on Wednesday, Sep. 20, where a judge ordered Pieper to be detained without bond pending trial.
If convicted, Pieper faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HSI is investigating the case.
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