NEW ROCHELLE, NY (March 18, 2025) — The New Rochelle Police Department arrested Marco A. Chavez, a 31-year-old local man, on March 15, 2025, following a sting operation targeting suspected child grooming, authorities announced Tuesday.
Chavez faces multiple charges, including attempted use of a child in a sexual performance, disseminating indecent material to a minor, attempted rape in the third degree, and criminal possession of a controlled substance, after allegedly targeting a 16-year-old girl, police said.
The investigation began on February 25, 2025, when the teenager and her mother filed a complaint with the New Rochelle Police Department, alleging Chavez had sent inappropriate text messages to the minor. Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division reviewed the messages and determined they indicated an intent to groom the victim for sexual activity, according to a police press release.
Posing as the 16-year-old, detectives used a department-issued phone to communicate with Chavez. Over several exchanges, his messages reportedly grew increasingly sexual, providing evidence of his intent, police said. Authorities then arranged a meeting at a local park, where Chavez believed he would meet the minor.
On March 15 at approximately 9:20 p.m., Chavez arrived at the park via taxi and was immediately taken into custody. A search revealed he was carrying cocaine, alcohol, and condoms, which police said underscored the severity of his intentions.
The charges against Chavez include felony counts of attempted use of a child in a sexual performance, disseminating indecent material to a minor in the first degree, and criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fifth degree, as well as a misdemeanor count of attempted rape in the third degree, per New York State Penal Law.
The investigation remains ongoing, and police are urging anyone with additional information to contact the New Rochelle Police Department at 914-654-2300.
Photo Credit: Grok AI image, not actual incident photo.