A Melbourne rugby player who was arrested in the US after an undercover sting operation allegedly found him organising to rape a six-year-old boy has been charged.
Michael Quinn, 33, was on a football team trip to the US in May when he was picked up by authorities who claim they caught the IVF geneticist colluding with who he believed to be a pedophiles so he could have sexual relations with a young boy.
According to the Herald Sun, “Quinn pleaded guilty earlier this year to travelling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct after arranging to rape a little boy in exchange for $A347.”
According to AAP 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,” Kottas told AAP.
Quinn reportedly told the court that he had a methamphetamine addiction and it impaired his decision making but a US judge said that was no excuse.
Quinn will be sentenced in a downtown LA court on October 31 and prosecutors have reportedly asked that he be given a 12 year jail term and lifetime supervision when released.
