Seminary student sentenced to 16 years in child sex case

CALIFORNIA
10 News

SAN DIEGO — A former seminary student from Ohio, who traveled to San Diego to try to adopt or purchase female toddlers in Tijuana so he could sexually molest them, was sentenced Friday to nearly 16 years in federal prison.

Joel Alexander Wright, 23, pleaded guilty in April to attempted enticement of a minor.

In pronouncing the 188-month sentence, U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw called Wright’s conduct “incredibly deeply disturbing and horrific.”

The judge said Wright — who was born severely disabled and has a litany of health problems including blindness — accomplished many things in life but for whatever reason, over the past few years, pursued children.

“It’s an extremely predatory sign,” the judge said.

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