Prosecutors in Miami are accusing a doctor-in-training of attempting to buy a 12-year-old girl to lock in his home and have sex with, reports the Miami Herald.
Alan Li, 26, faces charges of attempted sex trafficking of a minor under the age of 12.
Authorities say Li reached out to an escort for help in finding the girl. He said he asked for a friend, but the escort suspected his friend was really him and notified authorities.
The escort allowed undercover officers to take control of her social media account and communicate with Li directly who allegedly posed as Li’s friend, Chen.
The agent asked Chen how he would keep the girl quiet and unseen.
“Ya I mean I’ll keep everything locked up but she is well behaved I assume?” Chen wrote, according to the affidavit quoted by NBC6.
The agent asked for a one time payment of $20,000 to set everything up.
Ok, that’s reasonable. Just need to see the girl first obviously lol,” Chen replied.
“Based on my investigation, there is probable cause to believe that Li and Chen are the same person, engaged in the attempted sex trafficking of a minor and the attempted coercion and enticement of a minor,” an FBI agent wrote in papers filed in court.
Li’s attorney says federal agents do not have a strong case against his client.
“Despite the graphic online exchanges, there is no evidence that Li ever intended to follow through on any of these discussions,” George Thomas Pallas said to the Herald. “He never sent money despite the government’s repeated requests. And he failed to show up, repeatedly, to meetings initiated and scheduled by the federal agents trying to ensnare him.”
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