An Australian man on a rugby trip to the United States has been arrested in California after allegedly trying to arrange sex with a six-year-old boy, authorities reveal.
AAP reports Michael John Quinn, 33, from Melbourne was picked up on an undercover sting operation after he tried to organise a meet up with a pimp offering up the child for sex for $250.
Homeland Security officials alleged Mr Quinn was chatting on a social networking site that caters to pedophiles and making arrangements even before he left for the US.
“He had various names that he used on various different accounts, he was using three different accounts online to communicate with him,” said special agent Kelly Kottas.
“There was an internet social media site that he was using to send emails and he was also using various mobile applications to communicate.”
Quinn told the agents he had plans to meet up “other pervs” later in the month, as well as a father “who shares his young ones”.
In official complaint documents an undercover agent accuses Quinn of proposing they “molest a child together”.
Authorities say the accused was travelling with his rugby team, the Melbourne Chargers who were due to play a tournament in Nashville, but stress that none of his teammates knew what Quinn was up to.
“They were unaware of where he was at that day or what his activities were. They’re completely not involved in this at all,” Quinn told AAP.
Quinn was arrested in an LA hotel room when he handed over payment for a child to have sex with to an undercover HSI agent and he was charged with attempted sex trafficking of a minor – a charge which carries a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of life without parole.
There is also the possibility of him getting 30 years in prison on a charge of travelling with the intent of engaging in illicit sexual conduct.
