“This case is yet another example of why it is so important for parents and guardians to monitor the technology used by their children,” said U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul. “This is key in the battle against predators lurking online.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott S. Allen, Jr., who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in September 2016, the mother and grandparents of a 15 year old girl alerted the Federal bureau of Investigation that their daughter and granddaughter was possibly enticed online by the defendant, Andrew Reiner, into sexual activity.
The family turned over the victim’s cellular telephone and tablet to special agents. A search of the devices found that beginning in June 2016, Reiner communicated with the victim via cellphone applications Kik and Skout. After learning the victim’s age, the defendant texted the victim messages of a sexual nature in order to entice her into sexual activity. Through communications via the cellphone applications and email, Reiner convinced the victim to sneak out of her home late at night to meet him for sexual activity on more than one occasion. The defendant also attempted to entice the victim to ask her friends to participate in sexual activity. After the victim’s cellular service was turned off, Reiner continued to attempt to contact the victim through early September.
If any members of the public have any information regarding this defendant, they are asked to call the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 716-856-7800 and ask for a member of the Child Exploitation Task Force.
Reiner made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and is being held pending a detention hearing on Tuesday.
from US Dept. of Justice via IFTTT
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