United States Attorney's Office District of Connecticut
Press Release

Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force: NEW BRITAIN MAN ARRESTED FOR USING INTERNET TO ENTICE MINOR TO ENGAGE IN SEX

Kevin J. O'Connor, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Wolf, Special Agent in Charge of the Connecticut Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that federal and local law enforcement officers have arrested JOSHUA L. NOONAN, age 27, of 108 Stewart Street, New Britain, Connecticut, on a charge of using a facility of interstate commerce to attempt to entice or coerce a juvenile to engage in sexual activity.

The Criminal Complaint alleges that an undercover agent assigned to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Computer Crimes Task Force posed as a 14-year-old child while communicating with NOONAN on the internet. The Complaint further alleges that NOONAN enticed the undercover agent to meet with him for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity. Law enforcement agents surveilled NOONAN from his New Britain residence to the New Britain Wal-Mart store where NOONAN had arranged to meet the person he thought was a young boy, but was, in fact, an undercover agent. NOONAN was arrested as he walked towards the store in the Wal-Mart parking lot. A search of NOONAN's vehicle resulted in the recovery of sexual paraphernalia that NOONAN had described in his online chats with the undercover agent.

NOONAN was presented this morning before Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez in U.S. District Court in Hartford. NOONAN was ordered detained pending a Pretrial Detention Hearing scheduled for May 24, 2004. If convicted, NOONAN faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, and a maximum fine of $250,000.

U.S. Attorney O'Connor stressed that a Complaint is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to have the case presented to a grand jury and, if the grand jury returns and indictment, he is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the Government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case was investigated by the District of Connecticut Crimes Against Children Working Group, including agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and New Britain Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian P. Leaming.

The Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force includes agents from the FBI, the United States Postal Service, the Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Chief State's Attorney's Office, Defense Criminal Investigation Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, United States Secret Service, and detectives from the Glastonbury, New Britain, Milford and New Haven Police Departments.

The Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force was formed in February 2003 to investigate crimes occurring over the internet. These crimes include computer intrusion, internet fraud, copyright violations, internet threats and harassment and on-line crimes against children. The Task Force also provides computer forensic review services for participating agencies. The Task Force is housed in the main FBI office in New Haven, Connecticut. For more information about the Task Force, please contact the FBI at 203-777-6311 or via e-mail at ifcc.nh@fbi.gov.

CONTACT:

U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov