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Press Release

New York man arrested after traveling to Seattle to sexually abuse a child

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Washington
Defendant spent months communicating online regarding sexual abuse of children

Seattle – A Brooklyn, New York, man was arrested late yesterday in SeaTac, Washington, on criminal charges related to his alleged plan to travel to Washington State for sexual abuse of a minor.

According to court documents, Rajesh Singh, 28, began communicating with an undercover officer in August 2020 about his desire to travel to Washington State to sexually abuse a child under the age of 12.  The undercover officer was participating in an internet-based chat platform known to be used by individuals interested in child exploitation and child exploitation imagery.  The undercover agent created a fictitious daughter under the age of 12, and Singh communicated extensively about his desire to rape the child and film the sexual assault.  At various times in the chats, Singh indicated he had previously molested children.  Singh was observed in New York getting on a flight to Seattle, arrived at Sea-Tac, and took a shuttle to an area hotel and was arrested there by agents with Homeland Security Investigation.  Singh appeared in U.S. District Court in Seattle today and remains detained.

Rajesh Singh is charged with Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child Under Twelve, Attempted Production of Child Pornography, and Attempted Enticement of a Minor.  If convicted, Singh faces a mandatory minimum 30 years in prison and up to life in prison.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting U.S. Attorney Tessa Gorman of the Western District of Washington and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer made the announcement.

Agents with Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Hampton is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice.  Led by United States Attorneys Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Updated April 23, 2021

Topic
Project Safe Childhood