A Lawrence man, Alex Bou, was sentenced on April 16 in federal court in Boston to four years in prison after pleading guilty to using an interstate facility to transmit information about a child. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick also ordered Bou, age 22, to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
Bou admitted guilt in January to one count related to transmitting information concerning a minor and was arrested and charged in August of the previous year. According to the case details, on August 17, Bou responded via text message to an online advertisement posted by undercover law enforcement officers on a website known for commercial sex acts. The advertisement included images and language suggesting it was written by a young female described as “a flower ready to blossom.”
Bou continued communicating with the undercover agent over several days. During their exchange, the agent—posing as a 15-year-old girl—stated she could perform sex acts for money. After learning her purported age, Bou asked if she was a virgin and agreed to pay $175 for unprotected sex with what he believed was an underage girl. He obtained her address through text messages and arrived at the location where he was arrested.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley said assistance came from both state police and Boston Police Department during the investigation. “Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Boston Police Department,” Foley said.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is part of the United States Department of Justice according to its official website. It serves all residents across Massachusetts through offices located at John Joseph Moakley United States Federal Courthouse in Boston as well as branch offices in Springfield and Worcester according to its official website. The office employs over 200 attorneys, paralegals, and professional staff according to its official website.
This prosecution falls under Project Safe Childhood—a national initiative launched by the Department of Justice that aims at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse by coordinating resources among federal, state, and local agencies.