WHITE PLAINS, NY (May 11, 2023) — Anand Singh, a 33-year-old man from Tarrytown, New York, has been arrested and charged with one count of attempted enticement of a minor. According to United States Attorney Damian Williams, Singh communicated with an individual whom he believed to be a 14-year-old girl on the dating app Hily and via text messages. He allegedly made plans to meet her at an apartment building in Newark, New Jersey, for sexual activity.
The sting operation was orchestrated by OBL Global. Header screenshot courtesy of OBL Global.
The complaint alleges that Singh used the screen name “Anon” to communicate with the individual and expressed his desire to engage in sexual activity in graphic and unambiguous terms. On December 17, 2022, Singh went to the location where he and the individual posing as a 14-year-old girl planned to meet. However, he was arrested by authorities instead.
Singh, who was then an employee of the Westchester County Board of Legislators, has been detained pending a bail hearing. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Williams has praised the investigative work of the FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force and thanked the Westchester County Police Department and Westchester County District Attorney’s Office for their participation and support in the investigation. The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Wheelock in charge of the case.
The investigation is still ongoing, and authorities are urging anyone with information about Singh to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. The allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and Singh is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case serves as a reminder of the inherent danger that the internet could pose to our youth and the critical importance of protecting them from online predators.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was generated by ChatGPT based on a US DOJ press release.