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John Lord, age 40, of Sedona, Arizona, was arrested on Wednesday, Aug. 30, and charged with coercing a minor to engage in sexual activity with him in Katonah, the US Attorney's Office for Southern District of New York announced.
According to federal officials, on the day of Lord's arrest, he sent text messages to a 15-year-old boy whom he had met and communicated with on an online application asking him to meet up with him to engage in sexual activity.
A few hours later, Lord was found with the boy in a wooded area in Katonah while naked from the waist down with his penis exposed. The boy was in his underwear, according to federal officials.
When he was approached, Lord grabbed his underwear and ran from the scene. Later in the evening, he was apprehended and arrested by the Putnam County Sheriff's Office with help from the Bedford Police Department.
During an interview with Bedford officers, he admitted to engaging in sexual activity with the boy both earlier in the day and on prior occasions. He was then charged in Bedford with third-degree criminal sexual act, in addition to a federal charge of coercion and enticement.
Lord now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison, federal officials said. He was presented in White Plains federal court on Thursday.
"Lord’s alleged actions, enticing a vulnerable member of our society – a child – for sexual activity, are abhorrent," said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Smith, who also added, "The FBI takes the alleged crime very seriously, we are tireless in our efforts to investigate and hold accountable any person who harms a child.”
The investigation into Lord is still ongoing. Anyone who may have had similar encounters with Lord or whose children may have been communicating with him is asked to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov.
This is a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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