CALIFORNIA
10 TV
SAN DIEGO
A former Ohio seminarian who pleaded guilty to trying to adopt or purchase infants from Mexico to sexually molest them has been sentenced to 15 years.
Friday’s sentencing in San Diego comes after Joel Wright, 23, pleaded guilty in April to a federal charge of attempted enticement of a minor. He was also sentenced to lifetime supervision .
Beginning in November 2015, Wright placed Craigslist ads for a Tijuana tour guide, and then told a cooperating witness who responded that he wanted a baby girl for sex. He confided that he wanted to “adopt/own a baby girl and I want to have intercourse with her after I own her but don’t be telling people that.” Wright continued, “I won’t pay until I have seen the baby and I will pay the parents then…the cheapest baby under 3 would be good.”
TIMELINE: Horrifying details uncovered in seminary student’s quest for child sex
Wright acknowledged sending explicit emails describing his desires to assault children, that included infants up to the age of 4.
The person he contacted was cooperating with federal agents and Wright was arrested when he flew into San Diego in January while en route to Tijuana. There, he believed he would film and eventually sell videos of himself raping at least three children under the age of three. He was carrying $2,000 in cash along with baby clothes, lubricant, two cell phones, sleep aids, toys and candy in his luggage.
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