CINCINNATI – A California man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to transporting a minor interstate to commit third degree rape of the Ohio teenager.
Alex Roman Nguyen, 29, of San Diego, pleaded guilty to transportation with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The plea agreement includes a sentencing recommendation of up to 151 months in prison.
According to court documents, Nguyen met a 15-year-old girl from Hillsboro, Ohio, online and traveled from San Diego to Ohio to meet her in July 2022. Nguyen drove the minor to Kentucky to attempt to purchase airplane tickets and engaged in sex acts with the minor while in Kentucky.
Unable to obtain flight tickets, Nguyen and the minor boarded a Greyhound bus bound for San Diego and traveled on it until they were apprehended by law enforcement in El Paso, Texas.
Nguyen was charged by criminal complaint in the Southern District of Ohio the next day.
Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
