German Man Admits Traveling to NJ to Have Sex With Young Child

A man from Germany has admitted to traveling from his home country to the Garden State to engage in sex with young children.

Officials say on Tuesday, 39-year-old Christian Stefan Walther of Erfurt, Germany, pleaded guilty in Newark federal court to a charge of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.

Law enforcement authorities have been investigating Walther since January for child exploitation offenses.

According to federal authorities, two undercover officers communicated with Walther via email, phone, and an encrypted messaging app concerning his desire for sexual encounters with young children between the ages of 8 and 12.

During the investigation, he sent an undercover officer two videos, each of which depicted children being sexually abused.

On March 23rd of this year, Walther traveled from Germany to New Jersey to meet the undercover officers in advance of what he believed would be a sexual encounter with one or more children at a hotel.

The charge of interstate travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct carries up to 30 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 10th.

U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger thanked special agents of Homeland Security Investigations-Newark and the New Jersey State Police for their help in this case.