An American child predator has been convicted in a New York court of luring a 16-year-old Australian girl to the US ‘to satisfy his own sordid desires’.
Sean Price, 39, faces life in prison after a Brooklyn jury found him guilty on four counts, including attempted sexual exploitation of a child and foreign transportation of a minor to engage in sexual activity.
Price began an online relationship with the Lindfield schoolgirl, from Sydney’s north shore, in 2016 and by January 2017, they were communicating daily on Facebook.
American child predator Sean Price, 39, faces life in prison after being convicted in a New York court of luring a 16-year-old Australian girl to the US ‘to satisfy his own sordid desires’.
Prosecutors said much of the discussion involved Price’s desire to engage in sex with the girl despite knowing her age, as well as finding a way for her to travel to New York without authorities or her parents finding out.
‘So you coming to papa?’ Price wrote in one message.
Price and the girl discussed getting a fake passport, with him offering to pose as her father to get her through airport security in the US.
In another chat message he said ‘they would soon be laughing at her parents’.
A Brooklyn jury found Price (pictured) guilty on four counts, including attempted sexual exploitation of a child and foreign transportation of a minor to engage in sexual activity
Prosecutors said much of the discussion involved Price’s desire to engage in sex with the girl despite knowing her age, as well as finding a way for her to travel to New York without authorities or her parents finding out
His estranged wife, Rhyse Price (pictured), with whom he shares a four-year-old child, previously called his actions ‘horrifying’
After months of planning, Price wired the girl $US900 for the plane ticket and she landed in Los Angeles in March, with Price waiting for her.
The pair then drove 4500km across the US in a rental car to New York to Price’s mother’s home.
NYPD officers raided the Queens property four weeks later and recovered the girl and returned her to Australia.
Price admitted in a post-arrest statement he engaged in sexual activity with the girl during their cross-country trip and while they were living in Queens.
His estranged wife, Rhyse Price, with whom he shares a four-year-old child, previously called his actions ‘horrifying’.
Price had wired the girl $US900 for the plane ticket and after she landed in Los Angeles in March the pair then drove 4500km across the US in a rental car to his mother’s New York home (pictured)
NYPD officers raided the Queens property four weeks later and recovered the girl and returned her to Australia (Pictured is the room where the 16-year-old was found)
Separated from Price, she fled to Canada with their daughter and told Mail Online: ‘I hope your daughter never has to suffer the sins you have placed in her name.’
‘Price lured a teenage girl across the globe to satisfy his own sordid desires, taking advantage of her youth and preying on her vulnerability,’ US Homeland Security Investigations special agent-in-charge Angel Melendez said.
US authorities thanked the NSW Police Force and Australian Federal Police for their assistance in the investigation.
Following Price’s arrest, NSW Acting Superintendent Mick Haddow said the girl’s family had been ‘dealing with an enormous challenge’.
‘Needless to say, this has been a very traumatic experience for everyone involved,’ he said.
US Homeland Security Investigations special agent-in-charge Angel Melendez said Price had ‘lured a teenage girl across the globe to satisfy his own sordid desires, taking advantage of her youth and preying on her vulnerability’