The former assistant director of Emmanuel College in Boston was arrested Friday and charged with seeking sex from a minor applicant, the Justice Department said.
According to a news release from the Massachusetts-area U.S. Lawyers' office, prosecutors accused 29-year-old Jacob Henriquez, 29, of attempts to sex trafficking minors after using a single minor duties to seek them out for their gender.
In a statement, Emmanuel University said it had fired Henriquez after contacting law enforcement and commenced an investigation. “Emanuel University is saddened, angry and shocked by these serious federal allegations.”
It was not immediately clear whether Mr. Henriquez had legal representation.
On April 25, Henriquez found personal information from at least three students after meeting several people, prosecutors said. He then contacted and offered to “pay them for fun,” authorities added, and in some cases sent porn videos and images.
On the same day, he began contacting the fourth victim after promising to attend college.
One of the victims, 17, visited the university with Henriquez on April 25, prosecutors said. Henriques asked her what grades she was, and a few hours after the tour he began texting the victims with the phone number on her entrance form, prosecutors said. He offered to pay her $400 for “fun” and told her he had porn videos and photos for her, prosecutors said. He continued to contact her that night, and they added that he refused to tell her what she is and how he has her number.
Henriquez then sent five porn videos to future students and asked them if they wanted to engage in sexual acts with him, prosecutors said. After multiple rejections, Henriquez continued to text her and if she changed her mind, “He'll buy anything she wanted,” she continued to text her, prosecutors said. He went to almost 50 times on her admissions profile the next day, according to the Department of Justice.
Henriques contacted the student via email after she blocked his number, prosecutors said.
Henriquez's profile, published on the Emmanuel University website, says he graduated in 2021, is a “faithful Boston sports fan,” and his favourite at the university is a small class, allowing students to “connect with peers and faculty.”
If Henriquez is found guilty, he can bring life to prison from 10 years, the Justice Department said. He is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Boston on Monday.
